


The Prince, The Warrior, and the Thief

by silverneko9lives0



Series: The Prince, the Warrior, and the Thief [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood Sweethearts, Enemies to Friends, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Kind of like BBC's Merlin, M/M, implication of soul mates, more tags as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-21
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2017-12-24 04:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/935277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverneko9lives0/pseuds/silverneko9lives0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long time ago, before Erebor fell, Fundin pledged his service to King Thror. With him, he brought his sons Balin and Dwalin…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The ponies slowed to a halt. Dwalin stared at the mountain his father described as great. He didn’t see what was so grand about it. It was one mountain peak. Dwalin was more accustomed to entire passes frosted in snow.

“I thought you said this place was the greatest kingdom in Middle Earth,” Dwalin said. His father turned around, grinning.

“ _It is_ the greatest kingdom Middle Earth has ever seen, Dwalin. Do not be discouraged because it is not a mountain pass. Yes, I know your thoughts, lad. I know you _far_ too well. Stick close to your brother.”

Dwalin glanced at Balin, who smirked at him. Balin had taken to teasing Dwalin about the lack of beard he had.

In Dwalin’s defense, he was twenty-five. Most Dwarrows don’t start growing their beards until they hit thirty-five. Balin recently celebrated his thirty-ninth birthday and his beard was still quite stubbly.

They approached the gates which creaked open. Fundin handed a letter to a guard, leading them up the stairs to the main hall.

The guard bowed and Fundin approached the throne. Dwalin and Balin followed close behind. They bowed. “Hail, Thror, King under the Mountain.”

The old Dwarf King appraised them where he sat, his son standing beside him. “You are Fundin, son of Farin?”

“I am,” Fundin replied with another bow. “I bring with me my sons, Balin and Dwalin.”

The brothers bowed again. Dwalin felt something hit his calf near the back of his knee and he stumbled, slamming onto his knees. Balin bit back a snicker and Dwalin fought a blush. He stood again.

“I apologize,” The man standing beside Thror said. “That would be my own boys. Thorin! Frerin! Come and say hello.”

Dwalin turned around to see the two youths by the door. The oldest, Thorin, looked about Dwalin’s age, and Frerin was slightly younger.

“Perhaps your youngest would not mind befriending them?” Thrain asked.

Dwalin swallowed. He’d rather not bother with the princes at all: anyone who first attacks, whether in retaliation or intending to humiliate can’t be good friends. Nevertheless, he nodded. “I’d be honored, your highness,” he said, tightening his hands into fists.

A hand clapped his back and his legs buckled again. This time, Dwalin was prepared, and though he stumbled, he did not fall.

“I’m sure we’ll be best of pals in no time…what is your name again?”

“Dwalin, your highness,” he said to Thorin. He had very blue eyes and a smirk that meant only mischief. The younger, Frerin, looked nothing like his brother with golden tresses. They had the same eyes. Frerin seized Dwalin’s wrist.

“I thought warrior’s sons were big and buff like their fathers. You’re scrawny.”

Balin’s mouth twitched. He wasn’t that buff either. At the same time, his brother was less likely to be patient with them, royalty or not.

“I’ll get bigger muscles as I get older,” Dwalin assured him, “Same as you, highness.”

“Like with beards,” Thorin said, sticking his tongue out at Frerin. “Which you’re never gonna get.”

Frerin snarled at Thorin. He jumped at him, ignoring that Dwalin was there and Thorin more than willing to use Dwalin as a shield. Frerin’s small fists collided with Dwalin’s stomach below his ribcage. Dwalin gasped for air, vision white and suddenly nauseas.

“Boys!” Thrain shouted, moving into action to pull Frerin  
and Thorin away. The young princes released Dwalin, who rubbed his stomach. He felt he was going to puke at any moment.

“Perhaps it is best if the lads leave for now,” Thror sighed. “Thorin, Frerin, be good and show the sons of Fundin the city.”

“Yes, Grandfather,” they chimed, grinning identically. Dwalin wasn’t sure he liked this idea. So far, the princes have been nothing but hellions.

Once out of the room, Balin cracked his knuckles, a scowl on his face. “Apologize to my brother,” he growled. Dwalin groaned. Of course Balin would get defensive. He lived with the belief that the only one allowed to mess with Dwalin in such a way was him.

Thorin smirked and Frerin stuck his tongue out. “Or what?” he turned to Dwalin. “You let your brother fight your battles for you?”

Dwalin paled, still feeling ill. He narrowed his eyes into the most intense glower he could muster. “No, I don’t,” he growled.

The princes were not intimidated by them. Frerin stuck his tongue out again and Thorin ruffled his hair. “Doesn’t look that way to me,” Thorin taunted, smirking wider.

“I don’t let my brother fight for me.”

“Then tell me to back off on your own.” To prove his point, Thorin shoved Dwalin. He waved his arms to balance himself again. He bumped into Balin before his brother could do something regretful. The mischievous princes ran off, cackling.

“Those brats are dead!” Balin decided. “I’ll rip their lungs out!”

“Bad idea,” Dwalin said, seizing Balin’s wrist. “They’re the Princes. There is very little either of us can do about without facing any consequences.”

Balin groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I know, but I don’t have to like it. Do I?”

“No,” Dwalin agreed. “I don’t even like it. Frerin’s just a kid, so I don’t really mind it that he’s a bit out of control, but Thorin…”

Dwalin had a bad feeling about the prince. Or perhaps it was only that Thorin seemed to think he was entitled to treat anyone he met like dirt under his fingernails. Even Balin was not that bad and he tended to be rather unbearable if he was bored.

Balin leaned against the wall. “What do you suppose we do, then?”

“Nothing.” Balin raised an eyebrow. “What? Dad said it enough times: the best battle is the one not fought. If I don’t let Thorin and Frerin provoke me, they’ll leave me alone eventually,” Dwalin said, crossing his arms. “Besides, the less I have to deal with either of them, the better. They didn’t give a good first impression and I really don’t want anything to do with them if I can help it.”

“I’ve got bad news for you then,” Balin said. “You’ll probably in the same classes as Thorin…if he goes to the lectionary and the training grounds.”

Dwalin groaned.

“What?” Balin asked. “You’re the best combat fighter in your generation. Surely you can give Prince Thorin the hole his inflated ego needs.”

“At the Iron Hills, yes. But here? There’s probably someone better and my gold’s on Thorin.”

“Well,” Balin crossed his arms. “Maybe you’re better than him. It’ll give me something to laugh.”

“What about your class?”

“Not worried,” he said, shrugging.

Dwalin stared at him, deciding it best not to comment on the anger apparent on Balin’s face. He didn’t want to come here as much as Dwalin did. But while both had spoken to each other enough times after their mother’s death, they never once voiced their complaints about moving to Erebor to their father.

They were old enough to know there would be no point to arguing with Fundin, so they didn’t bother.

He leaned against the wall beside Balin. “I want to go home.”

“I know, but Ered Engrin is not our home now. Erebor is. We’ll learn to get used to it.”

“And if we don’t?”

Balin wrapped an arm around Dwalin’s shoulders. “We’ll deal with it then,” he promised. “And you know you can come to me if you need to, _Nadadith_.”

Dwalin rolled his eyes. “No more girl moments.” Balin removed his arm, shoving him.

“Agreed. You get teased enough for looking like one.”

“I do NOT!”

“You do.”

The door opened and Fundin exited. He paused, furrowing his brow. “Where are the princes?”

“They ran off without us,” Balin said, shrugging. “So…”

“Come on, Lads,” Fundin said, leading them down the hall. Dwalin stared at Balin’s feet the whole time through the walk to their new home. Fundin was saying something to them, but Dwalin didn’t hear it.

“Dwalin?”

He looked up. “Yes?”

Fundin frowned. He doesn’t like to repeat himself. “Do you think you’ll be able to befriend Prince Thorin?”

“Uh…maybe.”

“Good.” If he sensed the hesitation in Dwalin’s voice, he did not mention it. “The young prince needs a close friend to rely on. You’re both the same age, and Prince Thrain thinks you’ll have a good influence on him.”

Dwalin doubted it. Balin rolled his eyes, agreeing with Dwalin in that their father must have lost his mind in thinking that _anyone_ could befriend _Thorin inùdoy u Thrain_.

“Yes, _Adad_ ,” Dwalin said submissively, despite the screaming in his head that demanded the contrary.

They arrived to their new quarters. Dwalin followed Balin inside, looking around. Huge, empty, and different from everything Dwalin remembered and felt attachment to.

“Go choose your rooms, lads,” Fundin said, “Our things have arrived already and the servants will see to dinner tonight.

They voiced their affirmative and headed up the stairs.

Dwalin chose a room across the hall from Balin. A pair of servants brought his things up for him to unpack, which he insisted on doing on his own, shooing the Dwarrows away.

Unpacking was long and messy, but distracting and therapeutic. Sadly not distracting enough. After a while, he laid down on the newly made bed and bit his lip to keep his voice muffled so not to attract his father or Balin.

“ _Amad_ ,” he rasped under his breath. “ _Amad…_ ”


	2. Chapter 2

Dwalin bade goodbye to Balin as the older went to the training field. He watched him descend before resigning himself to go to his new class.

The room was filled with many youths around his age, seated around a large stone circular slab. Thorin sat at the furthest end, slouched in his seat and laughing at something another youth said. Dwalin sat as far away from Thorin as he could. He refused to even look at the prince.

He had hoped Thorin had his own private lecturer. Dwalin sighed, setting his satchel aside. He could feel the others’ stares, curious and burning like a brand. And why would they not? He was the new kid. A new face. Of course they’d be curious. They’d want to know who he is and why he moved to Erebor.

But all their questions would wait as their teacher walked in, books tucked under his arm, barking orders at them. He turns to Dwalin and arches a bushy eyebrow. “Stand up, Lad. Introduce yourself to your classmates.”

Shivers shot down Dwalin’s back. He looked around before standing. “Dwalin son of Fundin,” he bowed. “At your service.” He sat down again, staring at the table. Their eyes still bore into him, burning him like the fire of a Balrog.

From there, the class progressed in a history lesson covering events five hundred years ago.

Dwalin may not have looked up once, but he listened. If spoken to, he’d look up at the instructor and answer the question. When dismissed for lunch, Dwalin hid himself in a corner—

“Are you usually this antisocial?” He looked up at the Dwarf interrupting his thoughts. Red hair braided n the mark of a student behind his right ear, the rest of his hair left loose. Brown eyes bright with some sort of mischief Dwalin could not name. “Nori, at your service,” he said with a bow. When he straightened, he smirked. "Why are you hiding?”

Dwalin glanced in Thorin’s direction. Nori’s eyes followed.

“Ah. That would make sense. His royal pain-in-the-ass. Don’t let Thorin scare you—”

“I’m not afraid of him. I just don’t want to provoke him. We met the other day and he seems to have it out for me.”

Nori snorted. “Yeah, that sounds like him. He thinks he can get away with anything and everything and no one will stop him. He plays fair on the battle field at least. You’ll see this afternoon in the sparing ring. Best fighter out of all of us,” Dwalin’s heart sank. “But he plays fair there at least. Once you’re off, though…”

“What if someone beats him?”

“Well…I don’t know,” Nori said, leaning against the wall. “I’ve never seen it done.”

Dwalin sighed.

“Why?”

“Well…my family and I just moved from Ered Engrin. I’m…I _was_ the best fighter in my year there.”

“Really?” Nori smirked. “My brother’s the best in his. Well, the strongest, at least. I can’t really say much about his fighting skills…but still. That’ll be something to see. I’d like to see Thorin have his persqueeter bitten for once.”

Dwalin snorted. “Persqueeter?” Nori shrugged. “What about yourself?”

“Oh, I’m not much as a fighter. I’m a bit more…sneaky. I guess. Only way I have any chance of winning is by using my opponents’ strength against them.”

“That’s not a bad tactic, actually,” Dwalin said. “Especially if you know you’re opponent’s bigger or stronger than you—”

“Nori!”

Nori gasped, looking toward the door. “Crap.”

“What?”

“Give me back my hair clasp!” The woman shrieked, stomping over to them.

“I don’t know what you mean, Ma’am,” he said, looking up at her innocently. “Since when have I ever stolen any hair clasps? I’m too little for them still.” Dwalin’s mouth dropped. Was Nori…did Nori like to…

_No. This can’t be happening…_

“For all you know, it could be the new kid.”

Dwalin’s heart sank. Of course this would happen. His luck had never been great. Why should it change because he _thought_ he might have made a friend?

“Does he look like a kleptomaniac and compulsive liar to you?” she shrieked, shaking Nori. Dwalin wanted to shrink and disappear. “I know you too well, Lad.”

Dwalin snuck away, content to let Nori boil in his own frying pan.

“Ah! Dwalin! Don’t leave me!”

“You were about to sell me out,” he muttered. “Why should I help you?”

“C’mon, Mate,” Nori chuckled. “Just a bit of fun, right?”

Dwalin rolled his eyes, slouching in his seat. Fun for Nori, perhaps…

The woman groaned and dragged Nori out of the room. No one, not even the teacher, stopped her. She paused at the door and turned to Dwalin, a strained smile on her face. “Pay no attention to this idiot,” she said. “I am sorry he tried to drag you into it.”

It didn’t count for much to Dwalin, who laid his head on the table. No one came to attempt befriending him since. Not even Thorin bothered him, wrapped up in his own egoistical world.

He decided it could have been worse. The woman might have believed Nori, getting Dwalin in trouble with only Mahal knows how many people. Including his father and he wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

After lunch, they were sent in single file to the training fields. Dwalin watched, arms crossed from the back of the class as the instructors walked through the lesson.

Thorin was called to the front along with another named Gloin to fight. One by one, they were paired up, save Dwalin, left alone as the odd one out—and if the humiliation of that couldn’t get worse, he was paired with one of the teachers.

“All right, lad,” the instructor said, handing Dwalin a practice sword. “Let’s go.”

He moved first. Dwalin ducked, never raising the blade. He shifted to the right, then the left, slamming the blade into the instructor’s breastplate.

The instructor raised his eyebrows. “Well, what have we here?” the instructor said, smirking. “What’s your name again, boy?”

“Dwalin, son of Fundin.”

He nodded. “One of the two new protégés from Ered Engrin. Just had a spar with your brother, Balin. He’ll be a fine warrior one day.”

Dwalin used to smirk and throw a witty retender. He dared not this time. He was a better fighter than Balin. Usually won their brotherly spars.

He held the sword out in both hands, eyes fixed on the teacher.

Stab.

Dodge.

Block.

Thrust.

Hit.

Resume stance.

Dwalin paused, finding the field too quiet for a whole class. He swallowed, looking around at his surprised classmates.

“Thorin,” the instructor said. “Let’s see how young Mr. Dwalin holds against our best.”

Thorin stepped up, a picture of sobriety. So unlike how he was yesterday. He held the practice sword level.

Dwalin resumed stance.

At the instructor’s shout, Thorin swung his sword up.

Dwalin stepped to the left, slamming his blade into Thorin’s before elbowing him aside.

Thorin stepped back, fixing his grip. He charged.

Dwalin blocked, shoving Thorin back and thrusting the blade toward the prince’s guts.

Thorin ducked, aiming for Dwalin’s legs. Dwalin jumped back, stepping on the blade and slamming his foot into Thorin’s chin.

Thorin screamed, tears spilling out his eyes.

Dwalin seized his hair, the blade under Thorin’s throat. “Do you surrender?” Dwalin asked.

Thorin glared at him, “I surrender.”

Dwalin released him, stepping back, hand held out to Thorin.

Thorin spat at it, standing.

“What?” Dwalin asked, frowning. “Do you really think an enemy will grant you mercy and let you win because you’re some prince? They’d use that against you. You’ve never had a real challenger in your life, have you? Grow up.”

Dwalin walked out of the ring, aware of the eyes on his back as he set aside the training weapon and left the room.

The next class stared at him curiously, Frerin among them. The door banged open. Thorin tackled Dwalin to the ground. Dwalin twisted around to pin Thorin’s hands, punching and scratching at him.

Dwalin slammed his knee into Thorin’s stomach, pushing him off and standing. He slammed his fist into Thorin’s cheek. Thorin seized his hair, slamming him into the wall.

“That’s enough!”

Thorin was wrenched off him. Dwalin snarled, schooling in his rage. He wiped his mouth, striding past the Dwarves.

“Dwalin! _Dwalin_!”

Dwalin raced up the stairs, shoulders hunched and head hot with fury.

He did nothing wrong. He knew he did nothing wrong. Thorin is just a spoiled brat. Always had been. Comes with being royalty, right?

Thorin is only a stupid, childish, self-absorbed prat.

Nothing more. Nothing less. And Dwalin would be _damned_ if he ever befriended him.


	3. Chapter 3

Balin slapped the raw steak against the bruise on Dwalin’s temple. “So…care to relive how you and the prince got into a fight again?”

“I beat him at sparring in class and he threw a fit, came at me. I defended myself. I’d rather Father left me in Ered Engrin.”

Balin shrugged. “You know he wouldn’t. Regardless how he’s like, we are his sons. Though sometimes I think he’d rather you be a girl.”

Dwalin chucked the meat at him. It landed on Balin’s jerkin, splattering meat juice and watered down blood all over his front. Dwalin turned away, fighting down a smile.

“Very mature, Dwal. You sure you’re in the right class? I think the Pre-classes still have room for you,” Balin snarled, ripping the jerkin off to change into a clean one. He sighed. “Do you think Adad would be upset if I took his white doublet for the night?”

“Yes.”

“Damn.”

“It doesn’t fit you anyway.”

“True…but you just ruined my best shirt, so I have to make due.”

“You have plenty of good shirts, so why do you care?” Dwalin asked, turning to face him. Balin refused to meet his gaze, tearing through his wardrobe. Dwalin smirked. “You invite someone over?”

Balin paused, still avoiding Dwalin’s eyes. “Other way around,” he admitted, pulling out a black tunic. “Cloak…cloak…have you seen my cloak?”

“It’s on the chair.”

“The black one.”

Dwalin wrinkled his nose. “Someone asked you out, didn’t they?” Balin spun around, face beat red. Dwalin nodded. “Guess there’s hope for everyone, then.”

“Shut up.”

“Don’t see why anyone would ask you though. You’re unbearable.”

“What are you talking about?” Balin asked, mockingly indignant. “I’m adorable.”

“Cocky.”

“You’re the cocky one, Nadadith.”

“I’ll take comfort in that no matter how much time passes, you’ll never be funny.”

“Dwalin. Black. Cloak. _Now_.”

“Why would I take it?”

“Because you always do.”

“No I don’t! Maybe you haven’t unpacked it yet. Or maybe you forgot it in Engrin if it’s not here.”

Balin ignored him, groaning. “Maybe it got confused with Adad’s stuff.”

“Good luck. You may need to wear the usual cloak _or_ you could go without a cloak. That’ll be funny.”

“Shut up, Dwalin.”

Dwalin snorted, glad to have his brother home for the time being—Balin may be a prick, but Dwalin trusted his brother well enough and Balin had a knack for making people feel better. Whatever Balin said next was halted by a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it!” Dwalin shouted, diving off the bed and running down the stairs. Balin skidding on the stone floor after him, trying to beat him to the door. They rammed into the wood and grappled at the handle, pulling it out.

The Dwarf standing at the door was about Balin’s age, with a beard quite red and intricately braided, though clearly a youth. Dwalin’s throat constricted at the Dwarf.

“Sorry, Dori,” Balin said, pushing Dwalin behind him. Dwalin poked his head between Balin’s ribcage and arm for another look at the beautiful Dwarf, struck dumb.

“Your brother?”

“Yeah.”

“Hi, Dwalin.”

Dwalin’s gaze tore away to see Nori, beaming at him. He didn’t notice Nori and the younger lad attached to Dori’s other hand.

“Oh…hey, Nori.”

Nori beamed at him. “Sorry about earlier, you know. Can’t blame a mate for trying, right?”

“Er…”

Dori slapped the back of Nori’s head. “Whatever this klepto did, I do apologize on his behalf. My brother has much to learn about true humility.”

Dwalin nodded. “It’s okay.”

“Anyway, we came to see who Dori likes.”

“Is he nice?” the little one asked. “Cuz he’s not allowed t’kiss Dori if he isn’t.”

Nori snorted. Dwalin bit his lip to keep from laughing. He doubted it was wise to laugh at his brother when his head was so conveniently placed in Balin’s arm. Dori snarled, trying to hide the blush, directing it at the littlest of the trio.

“Ori’s right, Dori,” Nori snickered, smirking at his brother. “And you can’t go wandering around the city un-chap-owned.”

“It’s unchaperoned, actually,” Dwalin added, pulling his head away. “And if that’s the logic, I should go to. You know, to keep an eye on my brother.”

“No, you’re not,” Balin growled.

“I like that idea,” Nori added.

“I don’t!”

“Can we get caramel apples?” Ori asked. Dwalin had to hand it to the kid. Ori was adorable.

“We aren’t going to do anything untoward!” Dori snapped at Nori. “It’s just a tour of the city.”

“Just a _tour_ and you were freaking about what to wear?” Balin glowered at Dwalin.

“If it’s really just a tour, then there shouldn’t be any issue with Dwalin, Ori, and me going with you two. Right?”

“Right,” Dwalin agreed. “I’ll get our cloaks.”

“Nori and Ori will go with you,” Dori said, pushing his brothers into the house. Nori dug his heels into the stone.

“You’re not getting rid of us that easily.”

“And you promised to get us caramel apples!”

“If you behaved,” Dori sighed. Nori and Dwalin glared at him. Ori’s eyes bugged and he looked to be near tears. Dori sighed.

“I’ll get the cloaks,” Balin said, defeated. Dwalin bit back a smirk.

“It could be worse,” Nori said. “You could have to deal with parents.” Dwalin nodded. That would be worse. Nori grinned at him again, lifting little Ori into his arms. “We’re better than Amad, if you think about it, Dori.”

Dori shrugged, frowning. Balin returned, shoving Dwalin’s cloak into his hands and fastening his travel worn cloak around his shoulders. 

Ori latched onto Dori’s hand, trying to pull him along. Dori wrapped his arm around his waist and lifted him into his arms instead, walking ahead with Balin while Nori and Dwalin walked behind their brothers.

“So…why did you try to get me in trouble earlier today?”

Nori shrugged. “Habit. Not very good at it, you know. The Healers say I have a scoundrel’s mentality: a thief’s fingers and a liar’s tongue. The lies just roll off and if I find something delicious or shiny…” he wiggles his fingers. “Dori and Amad won’t let me walk around alone and I promise the lying is compulsory. It only happens when I think I’m in trouble.”

“Is that your way of saying you’re telling the truth right now?”

“Don’t believe me? Ask Dori.”

Dwalin frowned at Nori. He nodded. “Don’t have to. I believe you. A liar’s eyes shift when they lie and they might fidget too. You’re not fidgeting and you’re not shifty eyed.” He grinned. “I beat Thorin at training today.”

“How’d he take it?”

“Like the brat he is.” Dwalin pointed at the bruise on his cheek. “The prince’s parting gift.”

Nori snorted. “I only regret not being there to see him land on his butt. It would have been a beautiful sight.”

“It kind of was,” Dwalin agreed.

“Hey!” Balin shouted at them. “If either of you want caramel apples, then hustle!”

They raced to catch up. Dwalin nearly toppled Balin as he rammed into him. Balin cursed, glaring at Dwalin, who stuck his tongue out. Nori cackled as they ran on ahead.

Nori skidded as he turned a corner and Dwalin almost tripped in effort to follow him.

“Where are you going?” Dwalin asked when he caught up to Nori, clapping his shoulder. Nori did not answer him, eyes unblinking straight ahead. Dwalin looked in the direction Nori was and his grin vanished.

The Dwarves stared at them, beards unkempt and eyes dark. One was fingering a knife like a toy and leering.

“Mice?” one asked.

“Perhaps,” the leering Dwarf said.

“Nori!” Dori shouted.

“Dwalin?!” Balin’s voice followed.

Neither boy moved. The leering Dwarf approached and pinched Nori’s chin. “This one’s got the makings of a fine one someday. Not so much the brunette, but I think we can find jobs for you lads if you like.”

“Actually,” Dwalin said, voice steadier than he felt, “we have to go. We just ran down the wrong street, Sir. That’s all. Sorry.”

The third Dwarf seized Dwalin’s shoulder. “That’s the crest of the new Captain of the Royal Guard,” he pointed at the clip holding Dwalin’s cloak together. “I heard he had a lad or two. What about the other.”

“He’s got a crest: General Lori’s.”

The leering Dwarf chuckled. “Tie them up and write up a letter to Fundin and that bitch Lori.”

“There you are,” Balin said. Dwalin looked around. Dori and Balin froze, taking in the situation.

“Ori,” Dori said, setting the little one down, and removing his cloak. “Go hide."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did not actually intend to throw in bb!Ori, but here he is. Fili and Kili’s timelines will be left alone though. Ori and Dis are in the same class.
> 
> Also! Little brothers: can’t live with them; can’t sell them to Elves.
> 
> And in other news: cliff-hanger! *runs away, cackling*


	4. Chapter 4

Dwalin and Nori were shoved behind their elder brothers. The sound of fists impacting on skin and rattling bone was all Dwalin registered before he pushed his fear away to see Dori and Balin in fierce combat.

He had seen Balin fight before during practices, noting his brother’s movements and paying _exceptional_ attention to his mistakes so not to make them himself. But this was not the sparing he witnessed as a child in Ered Engrin. He had not seen Balin fight since he himself took up sparing lessons.

This fight held a sort of brutality to it, something he never saw Balin have in lessons. _A common brawl_ , he thought with fascination. It was raw, uninhibited by the structured movements taught in class.

And very, very bloody. One of the adults slammed their foot into Balin’s chest, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Balin rolled away, throwing dust into his opponent’s eyes.

Nori grabbed Dwalin’s arm and pulled him out of the alley.

“Balin!”

“It’ll be fine,” Nori shouted, “Dori’s with him. I’ve never seen anyone beat Dori yet! Come on! We gotta find Ori and then a guard!”

Dwalin turned, following Nori out of the alley. Ori jumped out from behind crates.

“Nori…”

“It’s okay, come on,” Nori assured him, lifting Ori into his arms. “Let’s go!” Dwalin followed Nori into the Bazaar and they slowed to a halt before setting Ori down. “We good? Yeah. We’re good.”

“What about Dori?”

“Dori will know where to find us and he’s got Balin with him. Chances are, they’ll be fine and just not show up for a while since they didn’t want us around in the first place.”

“Then how are we going to get caramel apples?” Ori asked. Dwalin snorted. Leave it to a little kid to think about candy when his big brother is brawling in an alley. Nori smirked and held up a pouch.

“I’m sure Balin won’t mind paying for Dori. Just for a bit.”

Dwalin hummed. “Normally I wouldn’t support this, but as it is your brother…yeah. I can’t feel guilty about it.”

“Caramel apples!” Ori shouted, jumping up and down, and clapping his hands.

Dwalin let Nori lead him and Ori to the candy shop. And once they all had an apple on a stick and covered in hard, sticky caramel in their hands, Ori would not stop staring at Dwalin.

He wouldn’t hold his brother’s hand either, holding onto Dwalin’s hand tightly.

“Now where?”  Ori asked, face sticky with caramel.

Nori hummed. “How about the toy store?” Dwalin glanced at Nori, brow furrowed, as if to ask, _you sure that’s a good idea? Won’t your brother get mad?_ Nori just shrugged.

Ori tried to run ahead, but an arm around his waist from Dwalin stopped the little one. “You don’t want to fall and break your skull, do you?”

Nori glared at him, but Ori had stopped struggling.

“Do you think those men will find us again?” Ori asked.

“They did not see you,” Nori assured him. “And no. I don’t think they’ll dare. Dori’s stronger than an adult, remember? He won’t let anything happen to us.”

“And Balin’s a skilled fighter for his age already. Though I’ve never seen him fight like that before.”

“Dori fights like that all the time. A lot of Dwarves proposition him because, you know.” Dwalin nodded. It was not hard to notice how beautiful the eldest brother of the trio was. “That’s why we wanted to come and meet your brother,” Nori continued. “Even though Dori can take care of himself just fine, brothers got to stick together.”

“I think Balin disagrees,” Dwalin sighed. “He’s eager to go his own way and would leave me behind if he could get away with it.”

“Dori does that too, but he’s been licked enough times now…a couple years ago, he left Ori and me home alone with just the servants. So it wasn’t like we were alone, but Ma…well…Dori never dared to again.”

“Nori never does!” Ori interjected.

“That’s because you follow me around everywhere,” Nori sighed.

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yeah, you do.”

“Well, not anymore.” To make his point, he tried to climb up Dwalin’s tunic.

“I sincerely doubt that,” Nori said, rescuing Dwalin from Ori and balancing him on his hip. “Watch the hair!” he cried when Ori’s caramel apple almost caught on it.

“Honestly, I’d like to have a little brother.”

“Trust me, you don’t. Big brothers are bad enough. Little brothers are just an annoyance you can’t get rid of. And I tried.”

“No you haven’t!”

“I did. You just don’t remember because you were a baby.”

“Balin tried to get rid of me too,” Dwalin chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve seen Amad so angry!”

“What’d he do?”

“He tried to leave me at the market. A guard found me by the fruit stand, crying like a baby and took me home. I was about Ori’s age, I think.”

Nori winced. “Geez. At least I had a change of heart. Ori may be annoying, but he’s likeable. And I was afraid of what Amad would do to me, so I went back for him. But to actually be left alone at the market?!”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

Dwalin shrugged. “It was a long time ago. I got over it.”

Nori frowned. “You haven’t. It’s not easy to get over something like that. If Dori did that, I’d never let him forget.”

“I don’t see any point in holding it over Balin’s head. Especially since it was so long ago.”

“Good for you, then,” Nori scoffed.

They stopped at a booth filled with wooden and stuffed dolls, and balls made of leather. Ori’s large eyes shifted from item to item as he suckled on the sour-sweet apple. He pointed at a stuffed bear doll. “That one!”

“One bear, okay. Anything for you?” Nori asked Dwalin, who shook his head. He had plenty of balls and he had grown out of dolls a long time ago. The bear was set down on the counter and Nori lay the coins on the counter.

They bowed to the owner and left, the bear cradled under Ori’s arm.

“There you two are!” They stopped as Dori approached. His cheek was bruised, but otherwise, he was all right. Balin’s eye was purpling. “Tell me you haven’t spent _all_ my money!”

“Of course not,” Nori grinned. “Just some apples and a doll.”

Dori sighed. “Fair enough. Now _give it back_.”

“Fine,” Nori growled, handing the purse back to him. “Yeesh.”

“You didn’t kiss him while we were gone, did you?” Ori asked. Nori and Dwalin gagged. Dori blushed.

“Of course not! I wouldn’t—we _just_ met, Ori!”

“But you wanna, right?” Nori snorted. Dwalin felt he was going to throw up and Dori’s blush spread.

“Nori!”

“That’s gross!! You’re talking about someone kissing my brother! Yuck!”

Nori shrugged, not a trace of remorse in his smirk. “I’m immune. Seen too many idiots kiss him already. Of course, your brother may be the first who doesn’t get punched in the throat or kicked in the jewels.”

Dwalin rolled his eyes, “Perhaps, but I still don’t want to think about it.”

Dori walked back to Balin, muttering threats under his breath. Balin nodded in response, glaring at Dwalin who grinned innocently (or as innocently as he could manage) back at him.

Ori tugged on Dwalin’s sleeve. “Where are we going next?”

“Er…”

“Well, our income was just taken away,” Nori mumbled, scratching his chin. “We’ll just have to wait for our brothers to GET OFF THEIR ASSES!!!” he shouted, hands cupped over his mouth. Dori snarled at them and Balin looked less than impressed.

“And now,” Dwalin sighed, lifting Ori in his arms, trying to avoid getting caramel in his hair. “We run from them. Nice work.”

“Thanks.”

Nori turned and sprinted away. Dwalin muttered under his breath, refusing to run. He felt he had done enough that day, thank you very much. All he wanted now was to rest.

He felt better, at least. Dori sighed, pulling Ori out of Dwalin’s arms. “Thank you for looking after my brother. And whatever mischief Nori caused, I do apologize.”

“Actually, he was okay when we were at the Bazaar. Might be because he took your purse.”

“That’s exactly why,” Dori muttered. “I swear, that kid…”

“Would you like us to walk you and Ori home?” Balin asked. Dwalin groaned, hiding his face in his hands, resisted the urge to stomp on Balin’s foot.

Dori shook his head. “Thanks, but we’ll be fine. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

“Say goodbye, Ori.”

“Bye!” Ori screamed, waving his hand at them. Dori winced, grimacing. When they had left, Dwalin snorted.

“What?”

“You like him, don’t you?”

“I do. It’s impossible not to like Dori.”

Dwalin rolled his eyes. “Impossible? You probably just want to kiss him and hug—OW!!” Balin slapped the back of his head, growling.

“Let’s go home.”

“Fine by me,” Dwalin yawned. “What’s for dinner?”

“Not a clue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being that they’re children, it makes sense to me that adults who attack them may leave Dwalin and Nori quaking at this point. By the time they’re adults though…well, no one would want to cross them. For now, I’m quite content letting them hide behind their big brothers.


	5. Chapter 5

Dwalin did not want to go to the Children’s Ball.

It was a less known tradition, held only in Erebor, for the King to see how his kingdom grows with more Dwarves. Anyone under the age of forty was allowed to attend, status aside, with their parents.

They would come and play games in the Great Hall, build friendships, and maybe even gain some enemies. There would be some dancing, but very little as no young lad would willingly dance with a _girl_. (Even if Dwalin had grown out of that…)

For Dwalin, it seemed more an annoyance as he tied the cumbersome cloak around his neck. Resting on the bed was a mask to wear. He picked it up, sneering at the black fabric.

He _really_ didn’t want to go. He didn’t see how a ball would be any fun. The only thing Dwalin felt he could look forward to was that Nori would be suffering through it just as he would.

“Need help?”

Dwalin looked at the door, most definitely not pouting. “No, Adad. I got it.” Fundin arched an eyebrow. “Really, if I need help, I’ll go see if Balin’s available.” Fundin entered the room, kneeling to fix the cloak with ease.

“There you go, Lad.”

“Thanks, Adad,” Dwalin replied, trying not to mumble.

“How are you getting along with his highness, prince Thorin?”

Dwalin swallowed, sliding his foot into a boot. “We don’t get along. At all,” he admitted. He quaked under his father’s stern glare and crossed arms. “I know that the King expects us to and I know it’s treasonous to say so…maybe…but he’s a brat! He’s spoiled, overindulged, and acts entitled to things he’s not! And I am making friends—”

“You mean the thief.”

“Nori’s a kleptomaniac,” he pulled on the other boot. “He can’t help it. And he does try to do better. And his amad—”

“Lori, am I right?”

“She’s a warrior just as must as you are, Adad.”

“I do not question her skill or her position, just her judgment.”

“She’s been living the only way she knows how. You could be a little sympathetic, Adad, given you’re both widowed.”

“ _Dwalin_.” Dwalin winced, shoulders hunching. He bowed his head. Fundin approached, gripping Dwalin’s chin tightly and forcing him to look up. “You were given a task: befriend the prince. I expect you to do so. End this friendship with the son of Lori.”

 _No, I won’t._ “Yes, Adad, I’ll do so.” Fundin released Dwalin’s chin.

“Don’t forget your mask.”

“Yes, Sir.” He grabbed it, following his father down the stairs and out into the stone streets, cooled by the crisp air flowing through the windows carved out of the earth. Dwalin walked a step or two behind his father, wishing Balin had come with them instead of convince father to let him go alone.

Had Fundin known Balin was attending with Dori, Dwalin believed he’d receive the same… _lecture_ he had about befriending Nori, regardless of whether he had a task of befriending a particular member of the royal family or not, such as Dwalin had. Dwalin didn’t know what issue his father had with Nori’s mother. He had yet to meet her and would tonight if given the chance to without Fundin breathing down his neck.

The Great Hall had been redecorated in fall colors and fake specters from skeletons to ghosts and various other monsters. He put his mask on and broke away from his father’s side, who promptly went to greet Prince Thrain.

Someone ran into him as Dwalin looked around. He stumbled, regaining his footing.

“Sorry!”

“Nori?”

“Hey, Dwalin.” Nori straightened. “Really sorry about that, had to get away from Ori for a bit. He’s with Princess Dis.”

“Who? Oh! Er…Thorin’s sister, right?”

“His baby sister. She’s actually bearable, compared to her brothers. She’s actually really nice.”

“How so?”

Nori shrugged. “She might give you candy if she likes you enough. She doesn’t like me, though. Sometimes I think she has a crush on Ori, what with all the candy she likes to share with him.”

“How does Ori take it?”

“It’s candy. Who wouldn’t say no to that?”

Dwalin hummed. “True enough.”

“Personally, though, I think that’s the only reason Ori puts up with her. He doesn’t like girls as much as some boys his age.”

“Not a lot of lads do.”

“More so than others.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, what about you? Lasses or lads?”

“Lasses,” Nori said, nodding. “Definitely lasses. You?”

“Either or.”

“Where’s your brother?”

“With yours, probably,” Dwalin said. Nori groaned. “You didn’t know?”

“If I did, I’d have told Ma and she’d probably not stand for it, and drag him here with us. He said he’d catch up, but if our brothers _really_ like each other, they may not show anytime soon.” Nori pressed his lips together, attempting not to smile. Dwalin sighed.

“They’re right behind me, aren’t they?”

“Not _right_ behind, per say, but close enough.”

Dwalin spun around. They had not been seen and with the masks, Dwalin had barely recognized Balin, standing beside Dori. Dwalin huffed, turning to glare at Nori.

“What? It’s not like any bodily harm came to either of us. And they _are_ behind us.”

“You’re a child.”

“So are you, Dwalin,” Nori patted his shoulder. “You just act like an old Zabadad.”

“No I don’t!”

“We can argue that as much as we like. Duck.”

“Huh?” Nori dragged Dwalin to the floor as a pie flew overhead. “What was that?!”

“That,” Nori said, “was their royal arses. The princes have arrived. Frerin’s the one who likes to toss things he shouldn’t and Thorin, well, there are precious few he’s civil to and will willingly obey outside his father and grandfather.”

A crash and some screams brought them back to their feet. “That would be Thorin,” Nori sighed. “Maybe you should handle it.”

“I doubt my father would like me punching him in the nose, no matter how satisfying that’d be.”

“It’d be satisfying just to see,” Nori said wistfully.

“Do I want to ask?”

“He threw me into the moat three years ago.”

Dwalin wrinkled his nose. “Ew.”

“Please? Just this once? Dori won’t go up against him. Not because he can’t but because our mother…” Dwalin groaned. “Please?” Nori pressed.

“C’mon.”

“I’m not going anywhere near him.”

“I’m not facing him alone. And, technically, he’s smaller than both of us.”

“That doesn’t stop him from being nasty! And if height were an issue, don’t you think I’d have been able to do something about it by now?”

Dwalin sighed. “You’ve gotta be joking…”

“I do not joke. Most days.” Nori smiled nervously at Dwalin. Dwalin rolled his eyes, wrapping his arm around Nori’s neck and pulling him along. Thorin’s posse tore down more decorations, laughing all the while.

“Thorin,” Dwalin said, knowing he may regret this. Nori stood shakily beside him. Thorin turned to him, glaring. “Perhaps you should stop. I mean, the grownups put a lot of work on this, so…”

“Why should I care?”

“Do you ever feel tired acting like a nine year old?” Nori bit. Dwalin winced.

“What did you just say to me?” Thorin growled.

“Nori, that was not smart?”

“And that is why I don’t interact with him.” Dwalin pushed Nori back as Thorin’s group stood behind him. Dwalin didn’t realize how much bigger they really were. Some of them were clearly older by a few years.

Dwalin and Nori exchanged a look before running for the door, pursued by Thorin and his gang. Dwalin skidded to a halt before falling down the stairs. Nori jumped three steps at a time.

They turned right. Dwalin slipped, skinning his knee. He dared not pay attention to it, hobbling after Nori as the other boys followed, bellowing curses in Westron and Khuzdul.

A loud, shrill scream halted them. Dwalin and Nori halted, turning around. One of the larger boys had an arrow embedded in his arm, Thorin pressed against the wall.

“Náli?! Náli!” Thorin shouted.

Dwalin shoved Thorin aside, examining the wound. “Someone run ahead and find a healer,” he demanded. No one moved. “Useless!” he ripped a strip from his cloak, tying it above Náli’s arm. “Come on, you can still walk. Nori, get over here and help him elevate his arm to keep blood in his body.”

Nori groaned, looking queasy, but obeyed. Dwalin tied the strip tightly around Náli’s bicep above the wound.

“Damn it, will one of you idiots let the healers know we’re coming?!” Dwalin snapped. A lad jumped into action, running ahead. Thorin shook against the wall. Dwalin sighed, “Someone help Nori and Náli, I’ve got the Prince.”

Another lad took Dwalin’s place and they went on their way. “Thorin? Are you okay?”

Thorin winced. “Not again,” he whimpered, shrinking into the wall, holding his head in his hands. “Not again.”

“Again?”

“I thought they were gone! Why won’t they leave me alone?!”

“Who?”

“I don’t know,” Thorin wailed, tears streaking his face beneath the mask. “All year, accidents like this keep happening…except…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the fannon being that Fundin was a hard ass, maybe even emotionally/verbally abusive, to his sons, I picture him and Dwalin having a relationship similar to the one John and Sam Winchester have in Supernatural but with less hero-worship on Balin’s part.


	6. Chapter 6

_“I thought they were gone! Why won’t they leave me alone?!”_

_“Who?”_

_“I don’t know,” Thorin wailed, tears streaking his face beneath the mask. “All year, accidents like this keep happening…except…”_

Dwalin felt his blood run cold.

Thorin may be a brat, but he was still a kid. He didn’t have any kind of enemy who would dare act on the idea of killing him—but his grandfather and father probably did.

“Come on, get up. Whoever shot that arrow, when they find out you survived, they’ll be back. We can’t stay here.” Dwalin held his hand out. “If your father doesn’t know, it’s time to tell him.”

“But—”

Dwalin seized his arm, helping him to his feet. “This isn’t a battle you can fight alone and your foe is an adult. You need to tell an adult if someone wants you dead.”

“But—”

“ _No buts_ ,” Dwalin hissed, dragging him to the infirmary. “You’re a prince, you should know this. You aren’t going to prove to anyone you’re fit to be King when you’re an adult if you keep pretending someone isn’t trying to kill you _right now_. It _is_ okay to rely on adults.”

“I already tried.”

Dwalin looked behind at him. “Adad wouldn’t believe me…nor would Zabadad.”

“Why not?”

Thorin sniffed, staring at the floor. “You lied to them?”

“Way too many times in the past to merit being believed.”

“Mahal above,” Dwalin muttered. “Does anyone believe you?”

“My friends do. Frerin and Dis do. But there’s nothing they can do. My friends try, but it only ends up being _like this_.”

“Have you lied since?”

Thorin shook his head. “No. No one believes me because of I used to lie, so…”

They arrived at the healers. “Try again,” Dwalin said. “You can’t ignore the claim of eight lads who saw what happened to Náli’s arm. They’ll have to listen now.”

“You don’t know my grandfather,” Thorin spat. “All he has to do is _say_ we’re lying and no one will do anything to help us. And if it’s anything to do with me…”

“Look, I know what it’s like having a hard family. Just keep at it. You’re scared and you’re acting out. Well, I’m listening and so is Nori.”

Thorin scoffed. “A known thief and the new kid. How lucky.”

“You need all the help you can get, so don’t complain.” Thorin winced. Dwalin slumped his shoulders. “I will help in whatever way I can. Do you really think you have the right to be prideful right now?”

Thorin shook his head.

“Then stop letting your pride rule you. You’re only going to make it worse for yourself if you do.” Whatever else Dwalin thought he was going to say was forgotten as Fundin appeared, brow furrowed. Lori behind him.

“What is this?!” Fundin demanded.

“I slipped,” Thorin said effortlessly.

Dwalin remained impassive, forcing the shock to stay off his face.

“Náli was injured,” Thorin continued. “The others went with him to see a healer. Dwalin stayed behind to help me up.” Thorin rubbed his nose and wiped his eyes. “Sorry for the trouble. The floor on this corridor is rather slippery.”

“Well, there you are, Fundin,” Lori said, crossing her arms. “Nothing more than the usual mischief my own boys get up to. Thorin, Dwalin, when everyone is certain Náli will be all right, bring them back to the Great Hall. All your parents went into a frenzy when you ran off. And now that we know what our younger lads are up to, perhaps we can now focus on monitoring the elder ones? As much as I trust Dori, I find it may be better to keep an extra diligent eye on him when he’s near Balin.”

“What?” Fundin demanded, slack-jawed.

“You didn’t know? You and your lads have not been here a month and Balin’s already come to ask my permission to court Dori. I figured Dori had done the same.”

Dwalin leaned closer to Thorin. “Be ready to run.” He straightened, clearing his throat. “Balin probably suggested against it since you don’t like that I’m friends with Nori, Adad.”

He spun on his heel and ran with Thorin right behind him. The argument preceding between Fundin and Lori was rather vocal, echoing off the stone behind them.

“What was that?” Dwalin demanded.

Thorin frowned at him. “What was what?”

“What you told my father and Nori’s mother about slipping. Why did you lie?”

“You really think they’d believe us?”

Dwalin blinked. He slumped his shoulders. “No,” he answered lamely.

“I’ve tried the truth already and it never works and whoever’s after me is still coming, so rather than get the adults involved, why not…take care of it ourselves.”

Dwalin stared at Thorin as though he had grown a head on top of his head. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“No.”

“Why aren’t you kidding?”

“Adults are supposed to be reliable, but I have it on experience that they aren’t. No one believes kids when it matters most. Adults are blind and deaf when we go to them for help. For _real_ help.” He crossed his arms. “So we have to do it ourselves.”

Dwalin shook his head. “Someone is trying to kill you and you want to go after them _on your own_?”

“I already tried it your way and I told you it didn’t work. I’m done hiding. I’m done being afraid. Are you going to help me stop the assassin or not?”

“Bloody royals. So bloody stubborn,” Dwalin muttered. He sighed, “Fine. But we get Nori to help.”

“I’m not sure—”

“He can get information.”

“How?”

“Am I supposed to know everything? I don’t know. We’ll figure it out. Besides, our parents want us to hang out, right? Include Nori and we can make it a ruse. All three of our parents—our fathers and Nori’s mother—will be none the wiser.”

Thorin hummed. He nodded. “Deal. You’re smarter than you look, Son of Fundin.”

“Don’t get cocky,” Dwalin growled, striding away. “Let’s check on your friend and get Nori.”

#

“No.”

“ _Please,_ Nori.”

“ _No_.”

“What’ll it take for you to join us?” Thorin asked, crossing his arms.

“For you to admit you’re an Elf-loving—”

“Forget it, then!”

Dwalin slapped the back of Nori’s head. “I don’t know why I’m bothering with you two. Stop being children and let’s come up with a plan to catch the assassin.”

Nori and Thorin sent him incredulous glares. “We _are_ children,” Nori reminded him.

“And the best way to catch the assassin is to dangle me on a hook.”

“Which has merits,” Nori added. Thorin shifted his glare to him. “What? Don’t look at me like that. You’re a jerk.”

“I’m not _that_ bad.”

“Actually,” Dwalin said, “you are. But let’s forget that you’re a jerk for a while and pretend you’re worth protecting.” Thorin glared at him this time and Dwalin kept his gaze steady until Thorin hadn’t the choice but to harrumph, cross his arms across his chest and glare at the floor as though it had done something rather offensive to his family name.

“Fine. Maybe I’ve been a little uncivil at times.”

Dwalin and Nori snorted.

“Okay, a lot. That doesn’t mean I deserve to die.”

“The assassin probably knows that,” Dwalin said. “It may have less to do with your attitude and more to do with your family. The enemies you have are all on a playground and the worse they’re willing to do to you is kick you in the shin and run like hell.”

“Yeah…”

“So whoever is after you wants to hurt your father or grandfather. Or its an assassin from one of Erebor’s enemies. You’re the eldest. You’re the heir. Kill you and Frerin and the direct line of Durin falls.”

“But what about Dis?” Thorin asked, paling.

“Women aren’t made queens.”

“Yes, they _are_ ,” Thorin said. “King Nain the Second, my great-great- _grandmother_ , was actually a female descendant of Durin. She changed her name to a male’s and ascended the throne. Dis would take on a male name and disguise herself as such and, voila, a King—well, Queen. I’m technically not supposed to tell anyone that, but so long as there is a direct descendant of Durin to take the throne, Erebor will have a monarch.”

“So you’re saying Dis is just as likely to be killed as you and Frerin?” Nori summed.

Thorin nodded, pale and eyes glassy. “She’s just a little girl…” He sniffed. Girls were rare enough, and because of that, so were children. Female children were very precious. Especially to their fathers.

A thought occurred to Dwalin. “She’s been targeted before?”

Thorin nodded. “Dis is allowed to go to school, but someone unleashed a rat in her room once. Had a servant not come with Mother…”

“What makes you think its foul play? A rat could have just gotten in,” Nori said. Thorin shook his head. “We’ve rat catchers and cats all over the mountain. A rat would not easily get into the royal suite on its own. Especially not into Dis’ room.”

Dwalin hummed. That was true. The dark corners of the mountain was ideal for rodents like rats and mice and cats and rat catchers were essential to keep society functioning well in the mountain. Otherwise, too many places would be crawling with rodents where rodents shouldn’t be.

Nori looked equally pale. “My brother’s in your sister’s grade,” he said. “They’re friends. Kind of.”

Thorin nods. “She has a crush on Ori.”

Dwalin wasn’t sure where he fit into this conversation. He hadn’t a younger sibling to relate to, only an older. “Look,” he said, drawing their attention back. “We’ll figure it out. We’ll stop this guy and expose him before someone dies. Especially not Dis.”

Thorin sent Dwalin a grateful smile.

“In the meantime, we have an essay to write.”

Nori and Thorin groaned.


	7. Chapter 7

The days grew colder.

Snow caps the mountain top.

Wool cloaks are exchanged for furs.

The assassin had not returned and Dwalin found himself keeping Thorin and Nori both on the defensive.

“He’s waiting until Thorin feels safe again,” he explained. “When our defense is down, he’ll attack.”

“But we can’t reveal him if I don’t let my guard down,” Thorin pointed out, moving a priest to capture Dwalin’s knight. “So I don’t see the point in always being on the defensive.”

Dwalin moved his pawn, capturing Thorin’s priest. “Is the mail you commissioned done yet?”

“No.”

“Then we stay on the defensive. Besides, I’m not sure a mithril undershirt will give you the best protection. It only protects your torso. There are a number of other places he’ll shoot at. Your neck…you’re head…”

“You over think things.”

“Náli’s how much taller than us?”

“Er…”

“He was hit in the arm which is right about where your neck is.”

“Fine. Be morbid.”

Dwalin grinned. “Gladly, your highness. Your move.”

“I like playing with Nori more.”

“Because you beat him?”

“All the time.”

“And I beat you all the time. Deal with it. I’m not going to give you preferential treatment just because you’re a prince.”

“I’m a direct descendant of Durin the Deathless!”

Dwalin blinked. “Really?”

Thorin pouted, crossing his arms. “Yes.”

“Huh. I didn’t know we were related. My family is also descended from Durin. Good. I don’t have to show you any preferential treatment, _Cousin._ ”

“Jerk.”

“Bitch.”

“And you’re both prats.”

They glared at Nori, who leaned in the doorway.

“Sorry it took so long to get here. I had to sneak around Dori and your brother, Dwalin. Easy to do, but I _don’t_ want to watch Dori making out with Balin.”

Dwalin gagged, sticking his finger in his mouth. “I don’t even want to know that they make kissy faces at each other.”

Thorin snorted. “Glad I don’t have big brothers then.”

“Be very glad,” Nori said. “If they like you, you get trapped in a headlock and they rub their knuckles in your head.”

“If they don’t,” Dwalin added, “They pretty much ignore you and if you ever get their attention, they may go murder-crazy and try to kill you.”

Thorin snorted. “Now I know how Frerin feels.”

“Pitying your little brother is a good step toward being merciful,” Nori agreed, nodding his head. “Is the mithril shirt ready?”

“No,” Dwalin and Thorin said in unison.

“Checkmate,” Dwalin said, a pawn in front of Thorin’s king.

Thorin glared at the chess board, then turned to Nori. “I challenge you to a game, Nori son of Lori.”

“I politely decline on the premise that you want an easy win and we both know that true satisfaction will come in the day one of us beats Dwalin at chess.”

Dwalin smirked. “Dream on.”

“Besides, I brought cards and betting chips,” Nori held up a box and a bag of toffees. “If I recall, we have an equal chance in Poker.” Dwalin collected the chess pieces to put away while Thorin dealt the deck. “And my amad wants to know if you two have plans for the Winter Festival?”

“I don’t,” Dwalin said.

“I do,” Thorin groaned. “But I’ll do anything to get out of it. I don’t like having my cheeks pinched by old Dwarrows who can’t hear or see anything. And King Thranduil will be there too.”

“The Elvenking?”

“The same. There isn’t much that scares me. The assassin, yes, but I’d rather face him than Thranduil. He has this…look…about him like he can see right through you and there’s a legend that he can kill children with just a touch!”* Thorin shuddered. “And wizards will be there. I don’t mind Gandalf much. He’s actually rather cool for an elder. He sneaks me treats and firecrackers when he does come. Saruman is just as creepy as Thranduil, though. So yeah, I’ll see if I can get away long enough to go. I may have to bring my brother and sister.”

“That’s okay. Ori’ll be there and I think he’ll like having Dis around, even if he only befriended her for the free candy. Amad holds a dinner with a bunch of other families and lots of children will be there with dancing and games and singing and presents.”

Dwalin lay on his back. “Adad might not like me going, but Balin most likely will go anyway, so I’ll sneak out with him. Adad will probably go to that stuffy party Thorin was talking about.”

“I’m liking Nori’s Amad more and more,” Thorin laughed. “Trade you for Frerin?”

“Get your own Amad,” Nori snapped, tossing a toffee at Thorin’s head. “You can keep your brother. I’ve already got Ori.”

“That’s true…”

“Actually, I’ll trade Frerin for Ori. At least Ori is cute.”

“ _No_ ,” Nori snapped, shoving Thorin.

Though the lack of excitement lulled his friends into playing poker and other games, Dwalin could not shake the dread he felt. He shifted uncomfortably around in his seat, trying to pay attention to the game—and yet he couldn’t shake it.

The game was interrupted by a knock at the door, which creaked open. From the grin on his father’s face, Fundin must have noticed Thorin first. It remained on his face, though faltering a little when he noticed Nori among them.

Apart from Nori’s sticky fingers, he wasn’t so bad. (Now that Dwalin thought about it, the toffees and the cards might have been stolen…well not much to be done about it now.)

“Hello, Adad,” Dwalin greeted, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for the toffees lying on the floor. It didn’t help that Nori had a guilty expression on his face.

“Lads, where did this come from?” Fundin asked, staring at the candy on the floor and the cards in their hands.

“The palace.”

Nori and Dwalin turned to Thorin. Had they not known it was a lie, they’d _never_ have known.

Thorin’s face was perfectly calm as he continued:

“I snuck them out. Nori brought the cards from home. I…guess it’s not as okay as I thought…but we wanted to play poker today. _Real_ poker and we agreed that it’d be bad to gamble with money, so candy was a decent alternative. I hope that’s okay, Sir.”

Fundin chuckled. “It’s fine. Don’t eat too much.”

“Okay,” they echoed. The door closed.

Dwalin rounded on Thorin. “If my father—”

“That was so cool! I wish I could lie like that!”

“It takes practice,” Thorin admitted nonchalantly. “Besides, since the assassin came, I realized it was better to use my powers of deception for the sake of good.”

“You call lying to my father about where the cards and the toffees came from good?!”

“Well do we know where Nori actually got them? No.  So we’re left with little choice but to make something up. Besides, it’s not _entirely_ untruthful. We are playing poker, we do agree that it’s better to bet candy than it is money and Nori _did_ bring the cards. The only _lie_ was that I brought the toffees. Everything else is entirely true.”

“The way you rationalize your evil deeds…”

“Better than Nori’s: he can’t help it.”

“At least _that’s_ true.”

Dwalin sighed. “ _How_ did I become friends with the sleaziest pair in all of Erebor?”

“Sleazy?!” Nori exclaimed.

“I am insulted you think we’re sleazy. Compulsively lying is not sleazy.”

“And kleptomania is an _actual_ condition.”

“See? He’s sick,” Thorin said, smirking at Nori.

“I’m getting better…kind of…”

Dwalin shook his head, wondering why he bothered with them. Was it a bad thing being friends with a compulsive liar and a klepto? He worried what that’d do to his sense of morality. Hopefully he’d have an easier time influencing them than they would him.

“Maybe we should just play the game,” he mused.

“Agreed!” Thorin said, directing his eyes back to the cards in his hands.

“Dwalin?” Fundin called.

“Yes, Adad?”

“Are your friends staying for dinner?”

Dwalin looked at them.  They both nodded.

“They are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure where I heard this theory…probably LJ, but someone once noted how Thranduil reminded them of the Erlkönig.


	8. Chapter 8

Thorin laid the shirt on the table, grinning ear to ear. Dwalin didn’t quite understand his need to display it. It was meant to hide under his usual clothes and protect him.

“Go put it on,” he said, trying not to sound frustrated.

“C’mon! Mithril or not, it’s awesome, isn’t it?”

“A shirt is still just a shirt, Thorin. Will you go put it on now?”

Thorin pouted. “Fine. Jerk.”

“Bitch.”

“What’d you call me?”

Dwalin grinned sheepishly. Well, _tried_ to grin sheepishly. “Knee-jerk reaction. Sorry. Want to go to Nori’s after you get that thing on? I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

Thorin hummed. “Yeah. He would. So long as your brother’s not there…”

“If he is, Nori will run out and push us away from the house and we’ll go Yule shopping or something,” Dwalin yawned.

Thorin stepped out, pulling on his supertunic, teeth chattering. “Fair enough. Why does it get so cold during winter?! It makes no sense!”

“Well, there’s always snow. That’s always fun and it needs to be cold for there to be snow.” Dwalin smirked. “Ever play in the snow, your highness?”

“Of course I have. Why wouldn’t I? Miss the opportunity to stuff snow down Frerin’s and Dis’ shirts? Yeah. No thanks. I just don’t like that it’s so damn cold.”

“Don’t let your Adad hear you talk like that.”

“As if he cares,” Thorin snapped, throwing Dwalin’s cloak at him. “Let’s go.”

Dwalin sat up, fastening the cloak and pulling his gloves out of the pockets. They ran down the stairs, racing out the door. Snow was falling outside the mountain, some of it falling onto the balcony and blowing through the windows. They pulled their fur caps over their ears and squinted at the light reflecting off the white flakes piling at the corners of Erebor’s streets.

“Maybe we should go to Dale for our Yule shopping,” Thorin suggested. “At least that way we can have a snow ball fight.”

“But we’d have to take a guard with us. I don’t think they’d like standing in the snow while we throw snow at each other.”

“Who cares? We don’t need to bring them.”

Dwalin bit his tongue to keep from agreeing. While he’d like nothing more than to venture outside the mountain and into the City of Men at the foot, right before the lake, he could think of a number of things that could happen. Most of them bad.

“We can still have a fight,” he said, “Just not so far from the mountain.”

“But if we go to Dale, we can get a whole group of kids and the lord there can send word to our parents. Dale is perfectly safe.”

Dwalin still felt uneasy about it. “Fine,” he caved, deciding he was just being paranoid. “Let’s get Nori first.”

“Okay. Oh! We’ll have to stop by the treasury first.”

“Why?”

“Think of it as an early Yule Tide present from me,” Thorin said, yawning as they stepped toward the House of Ri. Dwalin knocked on the door and they put on their best grins for Lori. It was Dori who answered, so the grins died.

“Hi, Dori,” Dwalin said. “Is Nori home?”

“Yeah.”

“Is Balin here?”

Dori snorted. “If he was, you think I’d bother answering the door?”

“Good point,” Thorin mused, scratching his nose.

“Why aren’t you with Balin?”

“No reason,” they piped. Dwalin wondered why he’d drag Balin around with him if given the choice. Dori stepped aside.

“Come inside. I’ll get Nori.” He jogged up the stairs, calling for the middle brother of the trio. Nori ran down the stairs.

“What brings you two this way?”

“Thorin got my mithril shirt.”

“And we’re thinking of sneaking off to Dale. Wanna come?” Thorin whispered, so Dori wouldn’t overhear. Nori turned around.

“What are you—”

“We’re going to have a snow ball fight outside the mountain,” Nori said. “Just need to get my cloak and hat—”

“Don’t forget your scarf and gloves.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Nori snapped, tugging his hat on with gloved hands. Dori threw a knit scarf at him. “Fine, I’ll take the scarf.” He wrapped it around his neck. It nearly covered half his face. “Bye, Dori!”

They stepped outside. “So we go now?”

“Not quite,” Thorin said. “We can’t go to Dale without some coins. Follow me. Next stop’s the palace.” They raced up the icy steps, gloved hand sticking to the rail like burdock,* skidding to a halt outside a large vault.  “What here,” Thorin said, entering the room.

“So,” Nori said. Dwalin turned to him. “How much begging did it take to get you to agree?”

“Well, to be honest, I kind of wanted to go…so not much. And he claims to know the Lord there.”

“Ha. Hope he’s not lying.”

“I’ll break his neck if he is.”

“Dear Maker! King Frerin…that’ll be scary.”

“We’ll just make sure Dis takes the throne.”

“That’s even worse!”

Thorin stepped out of the treasury, handing Dwalin and Nori two bags filled with gold.

“Won’t your Zabadad be mad?” Nori asked.

“I doubt he’ll notice until he goes in tonight. Besides, he told me and my siblings it’s okay to take some if we intend to go to the market so long any leftover goes back. Besides, there’s always an influx of gold. A couple bags will not be missed. Shall we go?”

“Before we get caught, preferably,” Dwalin said, smirking. This was more fun than he thought it’d be.

“We should take ponies since it’ll be dark soon. They’ll get us there faster.”

“Mahal’s hammers! We might as well just go tomorrow when it’s light out!”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Nori and Thorin asked in unison. Dwalin sighed.

“Whatever, if we die in the snow, I’ll kill you Thorin.”

Thorin grinned. “I can live with that. Let’s go.” They tied the bags to their belts and went to the stables.

“Where are you going?”

They paused, turning to Dis, Frerin, and Ori. Thorin blinked. “Erm…nowhere.”

“You’re lying again,” Frerin accused, smirking.

“It’s going to be dark soon…”

“Then tell me where you’re going and maybe I won’t tell Adad.”

“Spitfire your sister,” Nori muttered. “She’s as bad as Ori.”

“I heard that!” Ori snapped, pouting.

“Fine, we’re going to Dale for a bit.”

“Can we come too?” Ori asked.

“No. It’ll be dark soon and if our parents find you’re gone _especially_ , it’ll be _our_ backsides.”

Dis frowned, glaring. She inhaled deeply, ready to scream.

“Okay! Okay! Okay!” Thorin shouted, slamming his palm to her mouth. “You can all come. Just don’t scream.”

Dwalin couldn’t muster any anger toward Thorin when he looked so defeated.

“But I think we’ll just have to go tomorrow…” he looked outside and Dwalin followed his gaze.

“Yeah, it’s too dark now.”

“So much for our plan to sneak out,” Nori groaned

“We can still sneak,” Ori piped, latching onto Dwalin’s arm. “It’ll just have to be after breakfast.”

“Well, we may as well work out how this’ll work,” Dwalin said. “If we’re bringing your little siblings.”

“I want Dwalin!” Ori shouted.

“I want Nori!” Frerin joined.

“Why me?!”

“You’re cooler than Thorin.” Nori blushed and Thorin scowled.

“Well, Dis, any objections to that arrangement?” Dis shook her head, grinning catlike.

“We commune at the stables after breakfast tomorrow. Ten o’clock and no later,” Thorin said. “Ori, under _no_ circumstances are you to tell Dori.”

Ori nodded. “Don’t want him to come anyway. He’ll spoil everything.”

Dwalin glanced at Nori, who nodded. “He’d report it to Ma. Who’ll then tell your Adad and Thorin’s.”

Dwalin scratched his chin, attacking an itch, contemplating Dori’s personality in contrast to Balin’s. “How’d he end up with Balin again?”

“No idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The arctium plant, more commonly known as Burdock, is a plant that sticks to fur and clothing like Velcro


	9. Chapter 9

Dwalin stepped into the stables just as the great clock rang ten. Ori and Nori had already arrived. “Their royal majesties haven’t arrived yet?” he asked.

“Nope,” Nori sighed. Ori sneezed. Nori sighed, rubbing the younger’s nose with a handkerchief. “They should be here soon though. It’s probably Frerin forgetting something again.”

“I see them!” Ori shouted, pointing at the window where three figures ran to the stable.                            

“Sorry we’re late,” Thorin huffed. “Two to a pony. Ori, Frerin, and Dis, under _no_ circumstances are you to run off on your own or get separated from Dwalin, Nori, or me. Got it?”

“Got it!”

“I’m eighteen,” Frerin snapped. “I won’t run off.”

“I’ll believe that when you actually _don’t_ manage to run off on your own,” Thorin muttered, pulling three ponies out of their stables. He picked Dis up to sit her on a white and grey spotted pony. “We got to hurry,” he said. “Adad’s suspicious.”

“Who’s Adad?” Nori asked. “Yours or Dwalin’s?”

“I thought it was obviously his,” Dwalin said, helping Ori onto a brown pony with a black mane.

Frerin had already climbed onto the palomino pony. “You coming or not?” Nori glared at him, mounting behind Frerin.

“Race ya!” Thorin shouted, galloping out of the stables. Dwalin and Nori raced after him, startling the stable hands and the guards. They made it out of the gates just as they closed.

Dwalin glanced behind at Erebor. He faced forward again. “Ori lean down a bit,” Dwalin said, pressing against his back.

“Why?”

“You want to win the race, don’t you?”

“Yeah!” Ori pressed against the pony’s neck and they sped up past Nori.

“Cheats!” Frerin screamed at them. Dwalin turned around, sticking his tongue out at Frerin and Nori.

“Dwalin, be careful!” Ori shouted. Dwalin steered around Thorin and Dis.

“Haha! Suckers!”

“Dwalin, you jerk!” Thorin roared.

“Dwalin look out!” Ori shouted. Dwalin looked forward, gloating cut short. He yanked on the reins and the pony reared. The Man fell down.

Dwalin jumped off. “I’m sorry!” he said, helping him up. The Man was elderly bearing a long beard and walking stick in hand. “I didn’t see you, Grandfather!”

“What exactly are you doing on a runaway steed, boy?”

“Wasn’t runaway…my friends and I were racing…I’m very sorry.”

“Are you okay, Sir?” Thorin asked, jumping off.

“I’m quite all right.”

“Are we not racing anymore?” Frerin asked as he and Nori approached.

“Dwalin almost ran someone over,” Ori said.

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Now, now, children, no harm done,” The man chuckled. “What is a group of Dwarrowlings going this far out of the mountain without their parents?”

“Uh…” Dwalin kicked the snow. He didn’t know how to put this. _We left without our parents knowing and brought our younger brothers and sister_ sounded far too much like a confession.

“We’re going Yule shopping,” Dis chirped.

“Without your father, little princess?” The old man asked, tilting up his hat. Dis, Frerin, and Thorin gasped.

“Tharkûn!” Dis said, sliding off the pony and running into the Man’s arms.

“Oh crap,” Thorin muttered.

“Yule shopping without a guard is not a wise decision, Thorin.”

“I know…”

“Then why did you decide to?”

“The guards are no fun,” Frerin said. “They’d not let us go if any of them knew.” Tharkûn hummed, stroking his beard.

“And what would the Yule King think of this?”

Ori, Frerin, and Dis’ eyes widened. “But we’ve been good all year,” Ori cried.

“The Yule King won’t be mad at us will he?” Dis wailed.

Dwalin glanced at Nori and Thorin. _They still believe in the Yule King?_

 _Ma can’t bring herself to tell Ori and she’s forbidden me and Dori from telling him,_ Nori responded.

 _Frerin and Dis think I lied when I tried to tell them the Yule King doesn’t exist_ , Thorin added, _But that his child eating brother does exist and his real name was long forgotten. He goes by “Thranduil” now._

Nori snorted. Tharkûn glared at them disapprovingly.

“Well, I can’t very well let you all wander into Dale on your own.” Tharkûn said, kneeling to lift Dis into his arm, the other still grasping his staff. “Get your ponies and come along.”

Ori tugged on his robe, asking ridiculous questions as they entered town.

“I didn’t expect to run into Tharkûn,” Thorin mumbled. “Sorry guys.”

“Don’t be,” Nori yawned. “At least this way we won’t get yelled at. Right?”

“Erm…you don’t yell at Tharkûn and expect to get away with it,” Thorin said. “Zabadad keeps trying and it _never_ goes well. Tharkûn’s too scary. He’s awesome. But still scary.”

“Not that scary.”

“No. But I’d not want to get him angry.”

“True…”

Dwalin let Nori and Thorin discuss degrees of scariness. The city was coated in snow and ice. The forges roared with life. Like them, the Men and their children were bundled in furs and wool. A tree in the center of town had been decorated in gold and silver beads, glass and clay ornaments hung off the branches. Dwalin stared at it in awe.

“Is that a Yule Tree?” he asked breathlessly.

“Whoa!” Thorin sighed, staring at it.

“I’ve never seen one before!” Nori exclaimed.

“Then where do your presents from the Yule King come from in not beneath a Yule Tree?” Tharkûn asked, smiling.

“We hang our socks on the mantle under the fireplace,” Dwalin said. “But the tree’s cooler.”

“If you went to Mirkwood, you’d have Yule Trees on every corner.”

“Adad won’t let us go to Mirkwood,” Frerin said bitterly, eying the tree. “Is it supposed to be shiny?”

“The baubles are. The tree is just a tree made special. How about, so you little ones don’t cause trouble on your way back, get a sleigh big enough for Dwarrows?”

“What’s a sleigh?” Ori asked.

“It’s a cart that drives in the snow.” Were Dwalin not so impressed, he’d have noticed the glint of humor in the Old Man’s eyes.

“Where do we get a sleigh?”

“The wood-smith will have a few ready,” Tharkûn said. “Shall we go get one and you can leave your ponies with the sleigh for the way back.”

They cheered, following Tharkûn to see a wood-smith.

The Smith stared at the gaggle of Dwarrowlings, grinning up at him with seemingly innocent smiles and wide eyes. He looked at Gandalf. “Do I want to know?”

“We want a sleigh!” Dis screeched.

“A big sleigh!” Ori added.

“For our ponies!”

“And our presents!”

“And toys!”

“And Yule trees!”

“And—”

Thorin and Nori covered their youngest siblings’ mouths. “Sorry,” Dwalin said. “They’re a little excited.” Thorin had to move back away because Dis had decided to start kicking. Frerin seized her legs to still her. “How much would it be to buy a two or three pony sized sleigh?”

“Fifty gold coins.”

Nori and Dwalin shifted their gaze to Thorin.

“What?”

“You have more siblings than us here,” Dwalin said, “And you’re the oldest.”

“And our brothers won’t give a crap,” Nori added. Dwalin narrowed his eyes. “What? Ori may not look it, but his vocabulary is worse than you think. And it’s all Dori’s fault. Not mine.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“The point remains that you and your siblings will enjoy it more since they’re both still little,” Nori said. “So you can buy it for both Frerin and Dis and we can all share it during the winter months.”

Thorin nodded. “Frerin, put Dis’ feet down. I’ll get it now. Fifty gold coins, right?”

“Yes, little Lord.”

Dis and Frerin grinned, hugging Thorin tightly around his torso as he poured the coins onto the table. “We’ll come back for it later,” Thorin promised. “Where can we take our ponies?”

“There’s a stable two doors down, ten silver coins per pony.” They checked their purses for silver. There was none. Only gold.

Gandalf chortled. “It’s six gold to house all three ponies, lads. Everyone can chip in a gold coin and your steeds will be settled for the day.”

“That’s not too bad,” Frerin said. “We’ve still got lots!”

“Speak for yourself,” Thorin grumbled. “I’m already down fifty coins, soon fifty-one!”

“We love you, Thorin,” Dis cooed, hugging him tightly as they headed to the stables. A clock chimed the noon hour and it was mutually agreed to begin their quest for Yule presents after a hot meal at an inn.


	10. Chapter 10

They filed into the Sun inn, earning odd looks from the patrons.

Dwalin wondered if they ought to have come. A few were Dwarrow, staring at them with wide eyes and mouths open. He didn’t quite understand why.

“We want a table!” Thorin demanded, hands crossed on his chest and glaring admirably at the innkeeper. “And chicken soup!”

“Can we have cocoa?” Ori asked, tugging on Thorin’s coat.

“With big cups of cocoa!” He agreed, stomping his foot on the slippery wood. His boot slid on the melted snow and he flailed, sliding.

Dwalin steadied Thorin, who scowled at how his regal image had been damaged.

“My apologies, Vír,” Tharkûn said to the Man, who looked a little miffed with Thorin. “They’ll behave,” Tharkûn glanced at them, voice filled with enough warning to make Dwalin’s blood run cold.

“The balcony’s got enough room for the lads—”

“I’m a girl!” Dis snapped, scowling.

“And the lass. You sure you can keep them under control?”

Tharkûn chuckled. “I think I can manage six Dwarrowlings.”

The others were already following a maid up the stairs. Dwalin remained behind, standing beside the wizard.

“How is Kaíth?”

Vír lightened at the question.

“She’s out with Víli and will be back soon.”

“I’m sure Víli might enjoy the presence of some other Dwarrows his age.”

“Perhaps…” his eyes shifted to Dwalin.

Tharkûn chuckled. “I’ll be up soon, Dwalin.”

Dwalin nodded, unable to speak. He bowed to Vír and ran to catch up to the others. He sat between Nori and Thorin.

“What took you so long?” Nori asked. “Needed the loo?”

“Actually I thought it’d be better to wait for Tharkûn.”

“Why? He’s old. He’ll be talking to that Man for _hours_ ,” Thorin exaggerated, slumping forward on the round table. Frerin, on Thorin’s other side, patted his big brother’s shoulder in mock sympathy.

Dis and Ori were sitting next to each other, playing a game where they clasped one of each of their own pairs of hands together. Their other hands were held out and they slammed their fists against them, singing and shouting.

Three maids set bowls in front of them and a large pot of soup was positioned in the middle.

Two of the maids left to fetch the hot cocoa that had also been demanded while the third remained to fill the bowls with eager thanks from each of them. Even Thorin managed to dig out of his feelings of entitlements to thank her with a big winsome grin.

The maid giggled and patted his head.

“Such handsome Dwarrows and a pretty lass!” she exclaimed, impressed by their manners.

A head—not Tharkûn—popped out from behind. “Ann, why did Father send me…oh.”

The boy was blond with dark brown eyes. He seemed older than them, but not as old as Balin and Dori. Thirty or thirty three perhaps. He smiled.

“Víli son of Vír, at your service,” he bowed and then bobbed back up, a hand on his hip cockily. Ann strode by him, leaving them be.

“You’re a bit small for a child of Men,” Frerin mused.

“I’m Half-Dwarf,” Víli answered, unaffected by the slight. He sat across from Dis, who stared at him, eyes wide and cheeks tinting.

Thorin frowned. He poked Frerin.

 _“Switch with Dis?”_ he instructed in Khuzdul.

_“Why?”_

_“I can hear you, you know,”_ Víli said, looking straight at Thorin.

Thorin winced, glaring.

“I still want my brother to switch places with her.”

“I don’t wanna switch,” Dis snapped, sticking her tongue out at Thorin.

Víli chortled. “The lass has spoken. She’s a spirited one, your little sis.”

“She is,” Thorin growled.

Dwalin nudged his ribs.

“What was that for?”

“Let it go. If he tries anything you don’t like, she’s got five boys to come to her defense.”

“And no one is stupid enough to dare that, even if you are all shrimps,” Víli added, grinning at the way Thorin, Nori, and Dwalin bristled.

They were at the ideal height for Dwarrows at their age. And Dwalin had half a mind to insist that he was the tallest in their class.

Still, Víli was older, and had at least a head on Dwalin.

“And I like my hide too much to try anything. You guys had run in with Men before, didn’t you?”

“A bit.” Thorin admitted, startled that Víli had seen right through him.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Men aren’t _all_ bad. But the same can be said of Dwarves and Elves.”

Thorin blushed. “I guess…”

From there, he fell silent while Dis and Ori spoke with Víli, curious about this newcomer who had decided to join their little group, though he had a few years on them.

Dwalin wondered how Víli could have such patience with the little ones. 

The trio settled for eating their soup in silence, staring at Víli.

Dwalin didn’t really find his presence that offensive. On a level, he kind of liked the newcomer. The way he sat, held himself, crossed his arms, ate…to Dwalin, Víli was kind of cool. _Kind of_.

He figured the only reason Thorin and Nori weren’t trying to drive him off was because he seemed to keep Ori and Dis in line. The youngest two ate their soup without trying to spill it everywhere and where wary of the hot chocolate, which they held in mugs too big for their small hands.

“We’re going Yule shopping after lunch,” Dis announced after dabbing her mouth with her handkerchief.

Dwalin guessed this wasn’t something she did much due to Thorin’s accusatory expression directed at his sister.

“Would you like to come with us?”

“Of course—”

“You were going to _ask_ first, Víli?” Vír snapped, coming up. He bowed to the group. “My apologies your highnesses,” he began. “Had I known you were coming, more appropriate accommodations would have been made.”

“Highnesses?” Víli repeated.

Thorin stood on his seat, smirking and his hands on his hips.

“I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. With me are my brother Frerin and sister Dis, my companions Dwalin son of Fundin and Nori son of Lori and his brother Ori.”

Víli paled a moment, then bowed his head, “It is a deep honor to be welcomed at the table of a King to be.” He raised his head, smirking back. “But is it wise for the children of the Prince under the Mountain to be in Dale alone without an escort?”

“We have Tharkûn with us,” Dis corrected. “He’s a wizard and better than a hundred guards!”

“And we…actually…weren’t intending to bring any adults with us,” Thorin confessed, sitting back down. “We just ran into him and he insisted…”

Vír frowned at them.

Dwalin was slightly reminded of his own father by that frown.

Víli smirked. “Huh. The royal family’s not as stuffy as I thought. You may be royalty, but you’re still children.”

“So?”

“Víli,” Vír snapped.

Víli winced and looked at his father, smiling.

“I wasn’t going to suggest anything bad. Just ask them if they’d like to go to the best shops in town? The ones which are good quality and not very expensive…”

Vír groaned. “I don’t like this…” he turned to Dwalin, Thorin, and Nori. “You three are the oldest in this group, correct?”

“Yes,” Dwalin said.

“Would you say you’re old enough to know better?”

Dwalin’s eye felt they’d fall out if they widened any further.

“I suppose that’s a yes.”

“We weren’t…really meaning to bring our brothers and Dis,” Nori added.

“So you admit you were going to run off into Dale _alone_ without an adult despite being children?”

“What’s so bad about it?” Thorin huffed.

“As a prince, I thought you’d know quite well what would be so bad,” Vír said.

Thorin bristled, shrinking in his seat.

“The wizard spoke with me. He’s still downstairs having some ale. The six of you will stay put as I send word to Erebor where you’ve gone off to. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir…” they chimed.

Víli shifted his gaze to the group, frowning. _You’re nobility and you’re actually going to listen to him?_

Dwalin didn’t know about Nori and Thorin, but he did learn from his mother when she lived that regardless of where one stood, adults do know best (even if it doesn’t seem like it).

Vír descended the loft and Víli turned to them. “You’re going to listen to my dad?”

“Yeah right,” Nori snorted.

“Wait…we’re not?” Dwalin asked. He regretted the words coming out of his mouth. Thorin needn’t slap the back of his head.

“I guess you have a few escape routes just in case something like this happens?” Thorin asked.

Víli pointed at the window.

“There’s a vine there we can climb down from. I’ll go first and then you can help the others down. Just remember to leave payment for the soup and hot chocolate. Dad won’t like being robbed on top of being duped.”

The gold clattered on the table.

Víli climbed down first, followed by Ori, Dis, and Frerin. Nori went next, then Thorin, and Dwalin last.

“Okay, we all here?” Víli’s smirk widened at the nods. “Follow me.” He sprinted down the alley away from the pub. They followed, laughing and sliding in the snow. He halted a couple blocks down and put his hands on his hips. “Dear gents and m’lady,” he bowed, “Welcome to Dale.”


	11. Chapter 11

“You think Balin would like this,” Dwalin asked, holding up a pair of black leather gloves. Dis ripped them from his hand, turning them over.

“Dis,” Thorin growled warningly.

“They’re furry on the inside,” she said, handing them back to Dwalin. “Should I get Adad an eye patch?”

“No,” Dwalin and Thorin snapped.

Dis pouted, scratching her head.

“Why not? Wouldn’t he like an eye patch?” Ori asked, tugging on Dwalin’s sleeve. In the end, he bought the gloves.

“I doubt it,” Dwalin said. “If he wanted an eye patch before he’d wear them.”

“But eye patches are fun!” Dis exclaimed.

“For you,” Thorin said, “And for Frerin and me. But Adad? No. Probably best to just get him another journal or a map.”

“Then a map of buried pirate treasure!” Ori cried.

“Yeah!” Dis agreed, jumping up and down. Thorin rolled his eyes and mouthed _switch with me_ to Dwalin. In retaliation, Dwalin stuck his tongue out and continued on. Nori and Frerin had several baskets in their hands. Two were full.

“Look what I got for Zabadad!” Frerin cried, pulling out a quill. “It’s gold tipped! I got inks too.”

“We also got baskets. We’re gonna be laden with stuff before long,” Nori said. “Very weird being on the legal side of things…”

“Bad weird?” Dwalin asked, frowning.

“No,” Nori assured him, “just weird. I’m used to having to run.”

“Oi, you pipsqueaks done yet?” Víli asked, yawning from the tree he sat in.

“How’d you get up there?” Dis called.

“Climbed.” Víli swung over, hanging upside down, arms outstretched. “Want to come up?”

“Y—”

“Not on your life, Dis,” Thorin growled, pinching her ear. Dis kicked his shin and made an attempt to bite him before managing to wrench out of Thorin’s grip, rubbing her ear.

“You’re not the boss of me, Thorin!” she screamed, jumping up to reach Víli’s hands. She managed to grab on and he lifted her up.  

“I won’t let her drop if that’s what you’re worried about,” Víli promised.

Dis stuck her tongue out at Thorin, scowling. Looking from brother to sister, Dwalin determined they were very much alike. If he was the wagering type, he’d bet Thorin’s dislike for Víli stemmed from Dis’ apparent crush on the older boy. He patted his friend’s shoulder.

“He’s not given us a reason not to trust him and they’re within sight. Let’s see what else we can find before the inevitable end where the soldiers find us and drag us back to the inn to wait for our parents. I’d like to have my Yule shopping done by then.”

“Fine,” Thorin grumped. “I don’t want her to know what I’m getting her anyway.” They walked away from the tree, Thorin glancing back every few seconds to make sure Dis was still there.

“What are you doing?”

“Did I do something wrong?” Thorin asked. “Dis _never_ wants to be with anyone else except me, Frerin, or Ori…”

“She has a crush on a mysterious older kid. Mysterious to her, I mean. C’mon. You didn’t ever feel that way for an older dwarrowling before?”

Thorin shook his head. “I’m not sure if I ever liked anyone like that…” he bit his lip. “Amad used to tell me stories about the Halflings.”

“Halflings?”

“About the height of a Dwarf or smaller, less sturdy and soft and used to live along the plains between Mirkwood and Erebor. She said they lived in big rabbit holes and that one day they just…left. Up and left, heading westward and were never seen again. When I was about Dis’ age, I’d always leave the mountain, sneak out much like how we did today and go hunting for them because I wanted to see if they were really like how my mother described. One day, I told Adad that I wanted a Halfling. ‘Halflings are wives’ tales,’ he said, ‘they don’t exist. Even if they did, they wouldn’t be pets.’ I asked Tharkûn if that was true when he came by.”

Thorin paused, stopping at a stall selling maps.

“And?”

“He said they still existed, that they were real, and that they lived far in the west near the Blue Mountains and the sea. He said that ‘Halfling’ was actually insulting and that the proper name of their race is ‘Hobbit.’ When I asked if he could bring me one, he said when I was older, I could travel _there_ on my own and meet them for myself instead. Hobbits, it seems, don’t like to travel if they can help it.”

“What are you getting at? You…you still want to meet them?”

Thorin nodded. “It just, it’s in here,” he tapped his chest, over his heart. “I can’t explain it any other way. I don’t like Dwarrows…well I do, just…not in the way you’re asking and I’ve never understood _why_. A part of me wonders if I have a One. And that part has a part that wonders if my One is a Halfling—Hobbit. I really shouldn’t say ‘Halfling,’ should I?”

Dwalin wasn’t sure what to say to that. Or how to aid Thorin’s plight. Balin was much better at giving advice when it suited him. He got that from their Amad.

The way Thorin was staring at a map of Eriador, Dwalin wondered if Thorin ever told anyone this before.

Somehow, he knew he was the first Thorin truly ever could confide in about this. Dwalin scratched the back of his head. “Balin’s better at advice than I am. But if you think your One’s a Hobbit, then we could go there when we’re older. You, me, and Nori. Just the three of us. No little siblings or big siblings tailing our every step. And we can find out. All Nori and I can say is we know what gender we prefer.”

“Which is?”

“Nori likes girls. I’m okay with either boys or girls.”

“And Balin likes boys?”

“Not sure.”

“I’d say he does the way he and Nori’s brother keep sneaking around. I caught them kissing the other day,” Thorin said, sticking his tongue out in disgust. Dwalin faked gagging.

“Maybe,” he groaned. “Though we never talked about it. But…to feel you have a One…at our age…I can’t imagine what that feels like.”

“Empty,” Thorin said, flipping through a map of Gondor. “Lonely. Even when you’re surrounded by everyone you care for, everyone you consider a friend, and all your family. It’s not something anyone can fill and I’ve seen Dwarves who have a One. They’re almost always smiling when in their One’s presence. Happy, I guess…Amad said she and Adad had the calling and when she died, Adad was never the same since. He doesn’t smile as much anymore…and I don’t think Zabadad would allow it anyway. He’d rather I marry a Dwarrowdam and have heirs.”

“Would you?”

“I’d rather leave that to Frerin and Dis. Like I said, I’ve never been attracted to any Dwarrow I’ve met. I’ll put it off for as long as I can, though.”

Dwalin stared at Thorin, biting his lip. The prince usually seemed haughty and tended to act spoiled and entitled as often he could. But to have the calling? Would it cause him to act out the way he used to? Dwalin never really felt it. He heard it came to some Dwarrows at different times…

Did Balin have it? Did Dori? Would it explain their attraction to each other?

What about Dis’ sudden interest in Víli? Did she have it before today and now she didn’t?

It made him wonder about Ori and his attachment to Dwalin. He didn’t think of Ori that way, but knew the little one liked him and even now was staying immensely close to Dwalin, playing with a loose thread in his sleeve, small fingers closed around three of Dwalin’s and the other hand tugging at the sleeve.

“What do you think it’d feel like? Finding your one?”

“Whole,” Ori said, indicating that he was listening to their conversation. “You feel whole and it hurts to be away from them, even when you understand why you have to be away from them.” He tightened his grip on Dwalin’s fingers. “Such as being too little to live away from your parents. You know you’re too little and are okay with it for the most part, but it doesn’t stop hurting when you’re away from your One no matter what time of day or night.”

“You’re _way_ too insightful on this,” Thorin accused.

“Because I already found my One.”

Thorin furrowed his brow, blinking. Then his mouth dropped. “You and Nori’s little _brother_?!”

“Hey, I don’t _have_ the calling…yet…I guess,” Dwalin snapped.

“Wait…Ori, does Dis have…it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh Mahal! Adad’s not going to like this…” He groaned. He picked up the map of Eriador again. “Is there a more detailed map of the seaside cities here?”

“Just a moment, Lad,” the mapmaker said, heading to the back.

Dwalin clicked his tongue. “I guess Víli doesn’t feel it either.”

“Oh, he does,” Thorin growled. “Remember what he said: ‘I won’t let her drop.’”

“I think that’s common sense, Thorin.”

“He kept glancing in Dis’ direction,” Ori said. “And Dis in his. She keeps blushing too. And he’s half-Dwarf so it’s possible that he has the Calling.”

Thorin spun to look at the tree. Dis was still there, secure on Víli’s lap. He looked torn. Like he _wants_ to kill Víli and on the other he wants his sister to be happy.

 _Empty. Lonely._ _Even when you’re surrounded by everyone you care for, everyone you consider a friend, and all your family._

“Here you are, little master,” the Man said, letting Thorin examine the map. “Is it too your liking?”

“I think so…yeah. I think Adad’ll like it. How much?”

Dwalin glanced around, making sure everyone was still in the general area. Víli and Dis were in the tree. Ori was with them. Nori and Frerin were looking at toys…

A glint of caught his eye, on a roof. It came faster until he noticed it was an arrow. Dwalin seized Thorin and pulled him down into the snow. The arrow embedded into the center of the map and into the wood table, startling the merchant.

“ASSASSIN!!!” Dwalin screamed.

Thankfully the arrow’s presence backed him up and the streets filled with panic. Guards raced toward the front. Thorin ran to the tree and caught Dis so that Víli could descend.

“Run!” Nori shouted, pulling Frerin along. Víli seized his collar, pulling him into an alley.

“Quicker this way!” he assured them, sprinting down the alley. Dwalin carried Ori under his arm while Thorin held Dis in both of his arms, pressing her head into his shoulder.

“You think you’re family will regret it now?” Nori asked Thorin.

“Oh yeah,” he agreed. “Big time. Don’t know if I should rub it in Adad’s face or not.”

“Not,” Dwalin snapped. “He’ll probably feel bad enough without your goading. C’mon, keep running. He’s probably still after us!” He sprinted as fast as he could carrying Ori with the others behind him and Víli ahead.

Dwalin prayed they’d manage to escape. His heart beat fast in his chest, more from fear than from exertion. They skidded to a halt outside the inn, huffing for breath…

Until a knife was placed under Thorin’s throat.


	12. Chapter 12

“Don’t. Move. Brat,” the Dwarrow growled, fisting Thorin’s hair.

“Please, my sister…”

“You could be carrying your sick Amad and I’d slit your throat if you so much as move.” The Dwarf was masked. All they could see were his eyes. He wore leather a wolf’s pelt.

Dwalin snarled. “Coward,” he hissed. “We’re children. What sort of bastard goes after children?”

“Dwalin, Nori,” Thorin said, his voice quivered. “Get Frerin out of here.”

“We’re not leaving you!” Nori shouted, staring above Thorin’s head. “Friends stick together, Thorin. Real friends stick together.”

The Dwarf pulled on Thorin’s hair, knife pressing deeper. “Mahal will have mercy on you and your siblings, Brat,” he growled. “I’ll make it quick—ARGH!!”

The knife dropped red hot and melting snow around it. A staff slammed into the Dwarf’s head. Dis screamed and Thorin broke free the seven children dove behind Tharkûn as guards pinned the Dwarf down, unmasking him.

Dwalin didn’t recognize him. Looking between Thorin and Nori, they didn’t either.

“His attack was upon the Royal House of Erebor,” Tharkûn said through grit teeth. “Worse so, upon children. If I may, I would request that Prince Thrain deal out his punishment as King Thror is, ah, not quite capable of dealing out a proper punishment for an assassination attempt on the heirs of Thrain.”

He turned to the group. “As for you lot,” he said slowly. “I think it’s best if you go inside, have a good spot of tea and _wait_ for your parents to arrive. Víli, I would do well to at least _act_ humble when your father gets a hold of you. Or mother for that matter. Both are beside themselves with worry.”

Víli looked pale. Dis scrambled out of Thorin’s arms and embraced Víli. “They won’t be too hard on him, will they?” She asked imploringly.

Víli knelt, pressing his forehead to Dis’. “I’ll be okay, Princess. My parents will be hard, yes, but they won’t be mad at me forever. I’ll visit when things quiet down, yeah?”

Dis nodded, sniffing. Dwalin glanced at the wizard, who had an interesting glint in his eyes and a smile. Frankly, he found it uncomfortable, sending shivers down his spine. Thorin didn’t look too happy either, but rolled his eyes and huffed anyway, trying to look calm despite his obvious shivering.

Tharkûn ushered them into the inn and Vír seized Víli almost instantly, dragging him away from the group. Dis seemed anxious and Thorin pulled her close, rubbing her back and neck.

“It’ll be okay,” he said, voice shaky. “Everything will be okay.”

“That remains to be seen,” Tharkûn said. “Now tell me the truth. Did you _know_ that someone was after your life, Thorin?”

Thorin nodded. “I did.”

“And you still decided it wise to venture away from the mountain’s safety?”

“It wasn’t any safer than here,” Dwalin said. “He was attacked before _inside_ the mountain. Nori and I saw it. That’s why before us, Thorin had a bunch of bigger Dwarrows with him, but they weren’t any good.”

“And neither your father or grandfather did _anything_?” Tharkûn seemed both shocked and enraged all at once. Thorin nodded.

“I told them. Constantly. They thought I was lying again.”

“That,” Tharkûn growled, “Is no excuse. Even if it was a false alarm and no one was truly after you, my boy, your family should know better than to _not_ take such a thing so lightly as to completely ignore it. And for a boy your age, the fear you’d have felt in the wake of such attacks would have been hard to fake.” He knelt, clapping Thorin’s shoulder. “I am sorry your family has been so neglectful toward your safety and of that of your kin. Now, have some tea. Then we head back to Erebor on that new sleigh of yours.”

#

The ride home felt slow and ominous. Frerin and Dis spooned into Thorin. Dis was crying. Ori still wouldn’t release Dwalin, resuming his play with the loose string. Nori combed his fingers through Ori’s hair, needing comfort as much as the rest of them.

Dwalin was terrified. Never before had he done anything like this and now that they were heading home, he feared the wrath of his father.

“Thorin, I’m scared,” Dis whimpered. “What if Zabadad sees us first?”

Thorin didn’t answer and Dwalin turned to him. A tear trailed down his cheek and his eyes were red. He kept blinking. What was wrong with the King?

The gates opened for them. They dismounted to see Thrain descending the steps. His grandchildren shrunk against Tharkûn.

“You ingrates!” he roared at the trio. “You thieves!” he seized Thorin. “How much of my gold did you take, eh?! Nearly a thousand gold pieces is missing from the treasury, you thief! Answer me!” When Thorin did not, too frightened to say a word, Thror struck him. The slap echoed upon the stone.

“THROR!!!” Tharkûn bellowed. The King released Thorin, who backed away, collapsing into Nori, holding his cheek, weeping. “TOUCH THE BOY ONE MORE TIME AND I WILL REMOVE HIM AND HIS SIBLINGS FROM THIS MOUNTAIN!!!”

“What is going on?! Where’s my children!” Thrain shouted, running down the hall. Seeing Thorin, he fell to his knees and embraced him. “Don’t you _dare_ scare me like that again! Frerin, Dis, come here.” He embraced them as well before turning to Thorin again. “What happened to your cheek?”

“Your father,” Tharkûn growled, “Deemed it necessary to strike him, more concerned with his gold than their safety.”

Thrain stood, turning to Thror. “You what?”

“I’ve every right, they stole—”

“You have allowed it for any of the royal house to take gold from the treasury if they decided to go to the market! Or to Dale! _Regardless_ whether permission was granted or not! I will not deny I am angry with Thorin.”

“Nearly a thousand—”

“That is a hundred gold pieces for each of the children here. Now, what were you doing?” he asked, turning to them.

“Yule shopping,” Thorin choked out. “Getting presents.”

“Nothing selfish,” Thrain said, glaring at his father again. “Unwise to go alone and without telling anyone, yes, but nothing to be ashamed of. Your greed is getting the better of you, Father and I told you there would be repercussions if—”

“The repercussions, as you say, Thrain, have already struck,” Tharkûn interrupted. “Thorin has been attacked again in the middle of the day in Dale. The assassin is in route to Erebor for your judgment.”

“Again?”

“Were you not aware that an assassin was after your children?”

“I was not.” Thrain turned to Thorin. “ _Inùdoy_?”

“I told grandfather enough times, but…”

“He didn’t believe you?”

“Thorin has a knack for lying as you well know!”

“Yes, I do,” Thrain said. He turned to Thror, “But he would not lie about a danger such as that. Stealing biscuits from the pantry, yes I can imagine my son lying about that. About an assassin…Thorin is young and children may be foolish at times, but they are not stupid enough to lie about _that_. Your greed has put my children at risk! If it happens again, I will not hesitate to name you unfit to rule.

“Thorin, we will talk more tonight. For now, return the gold you did not spend and say goodbye to your friends. Frerin and Dis, I may as well tell you the same.”

Nori and Dwalin guarded Thorin from Thror, eyeing the king nastily.  Their siblings kept as far away from the king as they dared. Once far enough away, they jumped startled by Thrain yelling at Thror.

“What is wrong your grandfather?” Nori asked.

“I don’t know. He just…he spends a lot of time in the treasury now, but he wasn’t that bad before. He never hit me before, but it’s true what I said about the gold—”

“We know,” Dwalin said. “Your Adad just confirmed it. You think he really would usurp the throne?”

“Wouldn’t be the first prince to do it,” Frerin said. “Though he may be the first Dwarrow Prince. I don’t think much of us are brave enough to stand up to our _Adadh_.”

Dwalin agreed. He couldn’t imagine the bravery it would take to stand up to Fundin.

“Now what?” Dis asked.

“We do as Adad says and return what wasn’t spent. I wonder how we’ll get the gifts we did get back, though…”

“There’s still time before Yule,” Dwalin said. “We’ll just go with a guard next time.” No one complained. Not even Thorin, who normally would have sent him a glare. He kept rubbing his cheek.

“I can’t believe he hit me. He never did that before.”

“Well, whatever it is, it’s low,” Nori growled. “Getting angry because you took gold he said you need not get permission to take first if you were going shopping and even after it comes to light you were nearly killed, still care more about the money. Sure I’m likely to get a hiding from Amad tonight, but at least it’ll be because I scared her half to death rather than stole for once.”

“I’m not looking forward to that!” Ori shouted.

“Too bad, I’m not taking your turn.”

“What about you, Dwalin?”

Dwalin chuckled nervously. “I’ve no idea. And I’m kind of scared. You’ve all met my father…he’s…scary most of the time.”

“Well, we wish you luck,” Nori said, patting his shoulder.

“You could hide out at our house for a bit,” Ori offered, looking a tad bit hopeful. Dwalin shook his head.

“I can’t. That’ll just make things worse, Ori. Sorry.”

They arrived at the treasury and the bags, still quite full, save for Thorin’s, went back into the treasury. “I’m surprised you didn’t spend more, Nori,” Thorin said, emptying the bag.

Nori chuckled. “Well…” he showed a few pins, rings, and bracelets he had stashed in his pockets.

“Oh come on!” Thorin shouted.

“You’ve got to be joking!” Dwalin added.

“Right in front of my brother?!”

“Nori, you need help!”

“Big help!”

“HUGE help!”

“For the love of Durin I gave you _gold_ to buy it with!”

“Ori,” Nori picked Ori up, ignoring the glares from the others. “Let’s go home. And not one word to Amad about this.”

“Dori’ll find out anyway and you’ll get a bigger spanking cuz he’ll tell Amad.”

“Only if Dori finds out. Which he won’t.”

“How do…oh. You can’t do that to me! That’s mean!”

“I’ll get you a drawing board with chalks for Yule.”

They disappeared down the hall, Ori grabbing fistfuls of Nori’s hair and yanking, despite Nori’s demands to stop. Dwalin sighed. He turned to Thorin.“Good luck.”

“I’ll need it. See you tomorrow?”

“Sure. Dwalin, thanks for saving my life…again.”

Dwalin smirked. “You owe me.” Thorin glared, sticking his tongue out. Dwalin bade goodbye and fled. Glancing around, the royal siblings were gone. He quivered, nowhere near ready to face whatever punishment his father will have in store for him when he returns home.


	13. Chapter 13

~The Day before Yule~

“Bored!” Nori mumbled.

“Did you just say ‘bird’?” Dwalin asked.

“No. I’m _bored_.”

“Oh.”

“Get your ears cleaned.”

“Or speak clearer,” Dwalin retorted with a sigh. Ori was coloring next to him, tongue stuck out between his lips while Dwalin finished the last bit of homework their teacher had decided to pile. Nori “claimed” to have finished weeks ago.

Whether that was true or not, Dwalin could never be sure. Not with Nori.

“When’s Thorin gonna get here again?”

“Erm…”

“Better yet, where are Dori and Balin?”

Ori stopped coloring, arching an eyebrow and frowning at Nori. “Really? You need to ask? They haven’t come out of Dori’s room since Dwalin and Balin got here.”

Dwalin dropped his quill, hands clapping over his ears. “No! No! My ears are bleeding! I’m not hearing this! I’m not hearing it!!”

“Calm down, other than kissing, they haven’t done anything. Amad won’t let them close the door. When she found out that you two were coming, she made extra sure they’d not be able to and had it removed. Dori’s really angry about it.”

Nori and Dwalin grinned.

“Dwalin? Ya thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

“Do you mean to ask if I have a death wish? I’m gonna regret this, but let’s do it anyway.”

Ori shook his head. “You’re funeral, bozo.”

“Aw, be nice, Ori,” Nori said, hugging Ori. “You’re the cutest little brother around.”

“I have quill and it’s still sharp. Don’t test me.”

“Geez, you’re family is violent,” Dwalin mused, shuddering. If or when his calling came, he really hoped Ori would be in a good mood…considering what Ori believed was true and Dwalin was the younger boy’s One. For now, he was content being the big brother’s best friend.

“Well, I’ve tormented one brother enough today, I see. Shall we go torment the other?”

Dwalin followed him up the stairs. Nori handed him a pellet and waved his hand in front of his face, making a stink face.

Stink Seeds. Dwalin wasn’t going to ask where Nori got them. He figured it was safer for him not to know. He held up three fingers. Nori nodded. Dwalin lowered each finger and the pellets were tossed into Dori’s room. They ran down the stairs, feet pounding against the steps…

“MAHAL’S HAMMER!!!”

“NORI!!!”

They stopped to grab their cloaks beside the door, knocking Thorin down on their exit. Dwalin helped him up. “If you know what’s good for you, run!”

“Why?” Thorin demanded, chasing after them. He turned around. “What did you two _do_?”

“Stink seeds,” Nori huffed, pulling them behind a stall.

“When I get my hands on them,” Balin growled.

“Get in line—fuck!”

“What?”

“Ori.”

“Shit, Dori! What the hell?”

“You let me run out the door!”

Nori and Dwalin laughed silently, leaning against a disgruntled Thorin, who pinched his nose. “One ov dese bays dey’ll bake sub-ding dat will bask your zdench Twalin. You shdink.”*

“In the meantime, you’ll just have to deal with it, Shrimp.”

Thorin rolled his eyes, slamming his elbow into Dwalin’s ribs.

“Come on,” Nori said, leading them out from behind the vendor. “All clear—”

“Nori! You li’l shit!”

“Nevermind! Retreat! Retreat!” He screamed as Dwalin and Thorin raced down the alley. Thorin turned up the stairs.

“Come on! This way!” Thorin shouted.

“NORI!!! DWALIN!!!” Balin bellowed after them, jumping three steps at a time.

Thorin opened a door, pulling Dwalin and Nori in behind him.

“You think we lost them?” Nori asked. Dwalin shook his head and Thorin’s hands clenched. “What? It’s not my fault …”

“It _is_ your fault, Nori,” Thorin snarled. “It’s always your fault!”

“Calm down, Thorin,” Dwalin sighed. “Getting angry won’t get us out of this mess. Not with both Balin and Dori hunting us down.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Um…” They spun around. Before them was Tharkûn, Thrain, four other Dwarrows and a strange creature with big hairy feet and pointy ears.

“Oh crap! Oh crap, uh, Adad, I swear, I didn’t do anything! Balin and Dori were being indecent and—”

“Thorin Oakenshield,” the creature shouted, gritting his teeth. “It’s one thing to intimidate those your own age and size, figuratively speaking, but quite another when children are involved!”

Thrain—or not?—shook his head, hiding his face in a hand. “Halfling, don’t bother…”

“I’m sorry about him,” The creature said, smiling at them. “He’s a gruff one, but he means well. I think.” Dwalin wasn’t sure what to make of the creature—a Halfling, according to not-Thrain. He turned to Thorin, who was blushing so deeply, Dwalin thought he looked like a tomato.

“Oi,” Nori said. “Thorin? You okay? You’re all red?” Thorin only blushed deeper. “Really red.”

Dwalin sighed. “Sorry, Sir. My friends are idiots—” Thorin slammed his foot into Little Dwalin’s back, sending him flying.

“That was not nice. Apologize to your friend this instant.”

Dwalin and Nori were near ready to laugh, until they noticed that Thorin actually looked _upset_. He bowed his head and latched onto the creature’s arm before looking at Dwalin, who took the chance to stand back up, glaring at Thorin.

“Really they were twenty-five. _Must_ Thorin act like he’s fifteen?

_Thorin buried his face into the Halfling’s chest._

“Sorry, Dwalin,” he said, loud enough to be heard before hiding his face in Bilbo’s chest.

“Dwalin,” Nori whispered. “What’s wrong with Thorin?”

“No idea…It’s almost like how Dis acted when she and Víli met.”

“Yeah—oh holy mother of crap!”

“You’re telling me!”

Bilbo patted Little Thorin’s back. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No…” Dwalin watched as Thorin looked up at the Halfling. “I’m Thorin, what’s your name?”

“Bilbo Baggins.”

“Are you a Halfling?”

“I prefer Hobbit.”

“Right! Sorry, Mr. Bilbo. I’ll try to remember that…”

Dwalin sighed looking around. One of the Dwarves was big— _huge_ even—with a bald head tattooed in Khuzdul and bearing a large war hammer and two axes. His hands were donned in knuckle dusters. _Cool._

“Why’d you get so many tattoos?” he asked the big Dwarf.

“To remember fallen comrades, achievements, the usual.”

“Huh. Can I get as many as you do when I’m older?”

“Sure, Kid,” he laughed, ruffling Dwalin’s hair.

“Um, Mister Bilbo,” Thorin said voice quivering. Dwalin and Nori turned to face him.

 _What is he up to now?_ Dwalin wondered, crossing his arms and frowning at Thorin. He exchanged a glance with Nori, receiving a shrug as a reply.

“When I grow up, will you be my consort?”

The Halfling—Hobbit—blushed. “Well…I…uh…”

Not-Thrain sighed. “Fuck my life…”

“There are children present!” The Hobbit shouted. “At least mind what you say, Thorin.”

“You’re name’s Thorin too?”

“Yes.”

Where are you from?”

“Oh Mahal…”

“Thorin, er, young Thorin,” Tharkûn said. “Perhaps you could help us.”

“Okay. With what?”

“We’re a bit lost, you see,” Tharkûn said. “I am not the Tharkûn you know. Perhaps you could tell us where we are and when?”

“It’s 2771 TA in the Kingdom of Erebor and Yule’s tomorrow,” he said, hugging Mr. Bilbo tighter.

“Hmm.”

“We have time to fix it!” the ginger dwarf with the funny hair said.

“Unless you wish to change the sequence of time, we will do no such thing.”

Not-Thrain-but-Thorin growled. “We have come to a time where we can stop the Dragon and save hundreds—nay, _thousands_ of lives and you tell us to let it _happen_?!”

“Unless you wish to not meet with your One when the time comes, Thorin Oakenshield, I would not try to change anything.”

“Change…what?” Dwalin asked.

“The Sack of Erebor,” Not-Thrain-but-Thorin said, crossing his arms. Dwalin felt ill. Nori seemed to shrink and Thorin, well, he just held onto Mr. Bilbo.

 _What is going on?_ Dwalin mused, _And how the heck did we get roped into another mess so quickly?_

**_To Be Continued in Part Three: Out of the Troll  Cave_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism welcome! 
> 
> Thorin and Dwalin=~8 or 9  
> Frerin=~6 or 7  
> Balin=~12 or 13
> 
> Khuzdul:  
> Nadadith=little brother  
> Thorin inùdoy u Thrain=Thorin the son of Thrain  
> Adad=father  
> Amad=mother


End file.
